Seeds of Destruction
by Blaquediamond Princess
Summary: The Hollow within Ichigo has made plans to destroy Ichigo for once and for all and he has found the perfect target to exploit in order to achieve his objectives: The lovely Orihime. Full summary inside. ICHIHIME,RERU...
1. A Flight Without Wings

**_A-hem… Hi everyone! Welcome to the show!_**

**_This is my very first Bleach Fanfiction and err… I hope you peeps out there will like what I have to offer you!_**

**_The story is set after the Arrancar Arc and will contain spoilers for those of you who haven't read the manga._**

**Seeds of Destruction – A summary**

**An Ichigo/Orihime fic. The Hollow within Ichigo has made plans to destroy Ichigo for once and for all and he has found the perfect target to exploit in order to achieve his objectives: The lovely Orihime. What will happen when Ichigo suddenly finds himself devoid of all his powers and the Hollow plants a seed that keeps in it the destruction of our beloved Part-time Shinigami?**

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1. Tormented Soul – A flight without wings

* * *

Shallow breaths resounded in the dim room, gasped whispers floating in the air.

His name was tumbling off her lips with each thrust within her, her body arching up to him in outmost pleasure.

He watched her moan and writhe beneath him, marveled by her softness and welcoming warmth. His calloused fingers caressed her creamy skin, following the path between her voluminous breasts, down towards the flat plateaus of her abdomen, and to the slight rounding of her soft underbelly.

"Kirei…" he whispered, bending his head to catch an erect bud between his lips.

"Ichigo… kun…"

Her sweet little voice sounded like music in his ears and with butterfly kisses he shifted his attention towards her other breast, holding her body close to his with one arm as he did so.

Rapture was quickly beginning to take over her senses and she needed to feel him closer, deeper and all around her. His warm breath was playing against her and it was almost too much for her to bear. The heat of his passionate thrusts was making her body shiver from a fever she had never witnessed before.

He was everything she dreamt he would be and even more.

"Orihime…"

She had been his trusty companion for so long now and he had almost always taken her presence for granted. It wasn't before she got kidnapped by Aizen that he realized how much she truly mattered to him.

That night she disappeared, he had felt her presence. He knew that she had been there and healed his wounds, knew that he was the only one she had wanted to say goodbye to.

Even with all of the dangers that surrounded him and the never-ending troubles that come his way, she had always been there for him, always followed him to where ever he wanted to go. Never questioning, only trusting.

He loved her.

"Ichigo…" she whimpered, tears of pleasure rolling sideways from her face. "Aishiteru, Ichigo…"

He kissed her, drinking in her moans and murmurs, returning them with soft groans and devoted whispers of his own.

"Ichi… Ichigo!"

"Hime…" He breathed against her lips, closing his eyes tightly at the delicious sensation of her walls closing around him as her orgasm crashed down on her, taking him with her into a whirlwind of colorful emotions.

She lay next to him now, sound asleep.

He watched how her body, which lay on its side, gracefully curved at her waist and hips and how her breasts went hidden behind her left arm, while her right one lay pillowed under her head. Her long, light brown hair stuck to her damp body here and there, adding even more to her erotic beauty.

A hand reached out to touch her face and he smiled as she reacted to him with a satisfied sigh and snuggled closer in her sleep.

Suddenly, he froze and turned around with a scowl to stare at his window.

Another hollow had emerged.

Ichigo turned around again to look at her and he found her eyes resting on him.

She had felt it too.

Her lips curled into a smile at his apologizing expression and she shook her head. They both knew this was one of the inevitabilities that went with sleeping with a Shinigami. "Go."

She then reached towards the dresser behind her and took the Shinigami Badge.

Ichigo now looked at the stone and then up at her.

Orihime only smirked and handed it to him. "I'll be here. Just go protect the innocent."

He smiled back and took the stone, bent over and kissed her on her forehead.

Orihime watched how his body fell backwards next to her on the bed and how Ichigo's Shinigami form rose up.

"I'll be right back," he whispered, opening the window. The next moment he was gone.

She sat up and pulled to covers up to her chest so she could move to close the window.

In the distance, she could hear the hollow's cry and hoped that it wouldn't take too much from Ichigo to defeat it. She knew he would defeat it, he always did, but that didn't keep her from worrying.

Aizen was still out there somewhere, licking his wounds.

Nothing could've described how she had felt when he had taken her in his arms after rescuing her from Hueco Mundo. She had cried for hours without end, crying tears of relief and happiness all at once.

She had always thought that he didn't care enough for her to come and risk his life to save her. She had even decided to give up on him when he only grew closer to Rukia with every battle they shared. Never had she thought that he would give his life for hers.

But he did and he even said those four little words she would've never dreamt of hearing from him.

"_You matter to me, Orihime…"_

She couldn't restrain herself from smiling when she thought back of that moment. He even had said her first name, and not her family name… Not much later after that, they began seeing each other after school more often which had lead to the beginning of a relationship that lasted 6 months and to this first night she shared with him now…

Tomorrow they would both graduate from High School and begin to look through university pamphlets their teachers had handed out to the graduating class. Ichigo told her that they'd be together, no matter what. She chuckled softly when she thought of the face he had made when she turned out to be the second in their class with the highest test scores.

"_How the hell did you manage to be 2nd? It's like we didn't even go missing for nearly 3 months!"_

Orihime giggled a little more and could feel the familiar butterflies flutter within her.

She then turned her head to look at the inert body that lay beneath her on the bed. Only, when she did so, she suddenly felt her smile disappear and her heart skip a beat.

Ichigo's body wasn't lying there.

An eerie feeling unexpectedly grabbed hold of her and she let out a trembling breath.

This sensation… it had been a while since she had felt this way; it was as if a dark aura was crushing her soul down. She hadn't felt like this since she had been held captive in Hueco Mundo.

"It's always been evident that he has a tender spot for you, Orihime-chan."

Orihime slowly turned around; her eyes wide open in an indescribable fear as she finally realized to whom that reiatsu she felt belonged to.

"Hollow—"

"Come now, Orihime," his voice chuckled in the dark, "It's only me."

She gasped as she saw the mask doom out of a dark corner of the room.

"That's not poss—"

He smirked evilly, his yellow eyes glowing dangerously. "Why not? After all, he and I share the same body?"

"Ichigo…" Her trembling voice whispered in the moonlit darkness.

A humorless chuckle sounded in the night and he fully stepped out of the shadows.

Her breath caught in her throat now that she stared at this version of her Ichigo that, then again, wasn't hers. There was no trace of the Ichigo she knew in this creature that stood in front of her now. His hair was of an eerie white instead of the vibrant orange she had grown so fond of, his skin was of a dull grey and then— his eyes…

"You're not Ichigo—"

An annoyed sigh escaped from behind the mask and he took it off, revealing his eerie amber eyes and his evil grin. "Don't tell me your intelligence lies in that impressive rack of yours. Geez…"

Orihime bit back an offended gasp and balled her hands into fists around the edge of the covers she still held up against her. She knew exactly who this being was, she had sensed him countless of times when Ichigo had had his moments of insecurity before Aizen had taken her away to Hueco Mundo. This was the reason why up until today he still preferred to seclude himself away from the world at times like those.

Because of his Hollow within.

"What do you want?" She firmly asked, facing him with all of the courage she could muster. "You're not supposed to be here—"

In a flash he was suddenly in front of her on the bed, his black eyes glaring evilly at her while his blue tongue flickered over his grinning teeth.

"My… not that dumb after all…" he chuckled, bringing his face even closer to hers.

"Santen Kess—"

"I don't think so," the Hollow said in a low voice, silencing her as he tackled her and made both of them fall on the bed. He had placed his right hand on her throat providing just enough space between his fingers for her to barely breathe.

"Just look at you," he said with a sneer, "you really are quite the catch, Inoue Orihime." He chuckled as he felt the slight shiver that went through her body and flickered his tongue out against her right cheek. "Now I see why my aibou was nearly trembling with excitement earlier… He fucked you so hard even I felt it…"

Orihime let out a frightened whimper as he pressed himself closer to her, the thin fabric of the cover not offering enough shelter against the poking sensation of his obvious arousal. "S-Stop… you can't do this…!"

The Hollow let out a throaty groan, as if questioning why on earth she was even fighting him. "And who will stop me? His Majesty the Strawberry is no where to be found for the moment, so I'm the king of this castle for now."

"No…!" she whimpered, closing her eyes tightly. Why did she always run to Ichigo when she found herself in trouble? She had sworn to herself that she'd fix her own problems, but now… How was she supposed to fight this being that equaled her Ichigo in strength, speed and even in appearance?

"Let me let you in on a little secret, Orhime-chan…" He whispered in her right ear, his breath unbearably hot against her. "You're his greatest weakness."

Her eyes spread wide open at this and she looked up at him, stunned.

He grinned maniacally again and put on a fake apologizing face. "It's because of you that he's let his guard down and I got a chance at emerging from the depths of his soul where he had cast me."

Orihime began to feel tears sting behind her eyes and began to shake her head, not believing a word this creature was saying.

"How else do you explain me being here?" he continued, his eyes wide open in evident excitement. "You guys fucked and now I'm here! Face it; I'm the fruit of your love!" He shrieked before bursting out in laughter.

"You sick bastard!" She whispered with a quivering voice, her tears now flowing sideways from her eyes.

The white haired Shinigami smirked and reinforced the grip he had on her throat, watching her choke on a sob with growing glee. He then proceeded with excruciatingly slowness to pull the cover away from her body, revealing her heaving chest and creamy white skin. "That lucky bastard…" He grinned, not paying attention to her protesting movements and pleads.

"You're willing to give it up to him, but not to me? We share the same body!"

Orihime began to feel light-headed. "Please… ya-yamete…"

The Hollow chuckled and pressed his lips against hers, absorbing her cries of terror. He let his tongue slither inside her mouth, tasting and exploring her fully.

She gasped for air when he finally released her, the tears she had cried before all dried up against her cheeks. There wasn't much she could do; If she screamed for help she'd alarm Ichigo and if Ichigo were to find her like this, he would probably begin to distance himself from her again, in fear of not being able to control his Hollow. He would eat himself up with guilt. If only she didn't feel the way she did for him, if only they hadn't gotten together tonight… then… then…

It was all her fault…

"No!" She sobbed, a shot of pleasure running up her spine before she even realized what the Hollow was doing to her.

With one finger inserted into her tight entrance while his other hand still held her tightly by her throat, he grinned his maniacal smile again. "My… so wet, aren't we?"

Orihime bit back a moan as he began to move slowly in and out.

"Hmm…" Hollow Ichigo then focused his attention on her heaving breasts, tentatively licking one of the rosy crests and smirking darkly at the muffled passionate response he received. "There's no shame in admitting you like it, Orihime-chan…"

"S-Shut up…" She whimpered before crying out at the second finger that entered her.

"I'm going to love fucking you, that's for certain…"

His fingers removed themselves from within her and the hand around her throat loosened its grip. Orihime opened her eyes to see what he was going to do now but found herself staring at the ceiling.

He was gone and Ichigo's body lay next to her on the bed again, as if nothing ever happened.

She quickly pulled the covers back over her body and wiped away her tears. She knew for sure that she hadn't dreamt her encounter with Hollow Ichigo; she could still feel the pressure he had used on her throat and the throbbing sensation between her legs also gave proof of this.

_Don't worry, Hime-chan… I'll fuck you. It's a promise… And then, I'll destroy your Berry-san through you…_

She gasped and gulped as his insane laughter echoed in her mind, her eyes rolling to look at Ichigo's body next to her with a mixture of sadness and fear.

"Ichigo…"

The window opened then and Ichigo jumped inside the room.

"Goddamned Hollow!"

She sat up to look at him with a small trembling smile, holding the covers up to her chest. "Okaeri…"

Ichigo turned around and stood up straight, looking around as if he was searching for something. "Aa…"

"Is there something wrong?" She wondered, looking around as well.

"Are you alright, Orihime?" He then said, looking at her now.

She frowned but nodded. "I'm fine. What's wrong?"

Deciding for himself that he wouldn't find what he was looking for for the time being, he sat himself on the edge of the bed and reached out to her. "It's nothing; I thought I had felt something that impossibly could've been here."

_He felt the Hollow? _

Orihime only smiled and placed a hand against the one he held against her face. "It's only been me here ever since you— you're bleeding!"

Ichigo looked at his shoulder and gave a small shrug. "It's nothing; I was just a little distracted—"

"Souten Kisshun…" She automatically whispered, placing her hand above the wound. In less than 3 seconds the torn up fabric was as good as new and the wound was healed.

"What was on your mind?" Orihime then asked, while Ichigo returned into his body.

Ichigo blinked his eyes open again and he moved his head to look at her. "I just had this horrible feeling, Orihime… It was as if I had lost control of my inner Hollow. I could feel that part of my reiatsu slowly slipping from my grip and I somehow chased it back here."

Orihime gave him a reassuring smile and nestled herself in his arms underneath the covers. "I'm alive and well, aren't I?"

He held her close to his chest and kissed the crown of her head. "I still worried."

She closed her eyes and moved herself up until her lips met with his, kissing him deeply and passionately. "I'm a big girl Ichigo-kun. I have my own super powers."

He laughed endearingly at that and nodded. "But nonetheless, ever since Aizen—"

"You have to stop acting like I'll crumble or wither away without your protection…" she whispered, silencing him. "I don't want you to be worrying about me non-stop, Ichigo. The damsel-in-distress-role really gets annoying after a while." She brushed a few strands of his orange hair out of his light brown eyes and smiled. "I can take care of myself. Honestly."

Ichigo cupped her face in his right hand and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "You make it sound like it's an obligation for me to protect you, Hime… Only, it's not: I _want_ to protect you because you're the only one I always want to return home to."

Orihime felt tears fill her eyes. "Ichigo…"

"So please, let me protect you, let me be the one who wipes away your fears, Hime… Let me love you like this, by protecting you."

She broke down in tears and buried her face in the crook of his left shoulder and neck, shedding warm tears of happiness and at the same time shivering from a heartfelt angst.

She knew for herself that there was only one thing she could do.

She moved herself on top of him and straddled him. Then, she guided his hands up her waist and towards her breasts while she closed her eyes and shyly made slight circular movements with her hips.

Ichigo silently accepted the offer she made him and sat up, pressed a kiss on her left breast and held her close while she guided his hardening member inside her.

Orihime gasped when he slid in her, arching her back with a soundless scream. Ichigo then grabbed hold of her hips and coaxed her into moving up and down slowly, while his lips caressed loving kisses and soft murmurs against her breasts, her chest and her throat.

She loved the man he had become, felt thankful that he had accepted her into his life as his partner, but she couldn't bear the thought of being the source of his greatest weakness. She couldn't give his enemies that advantage on him and she wouldn't.

Tonight they had made love for the first time and she knew she would never forget it, but she had decided for herself that this is where it ended for the both of them.

"Hime…"

She held his head close to her chest and silently wept her tears without him noticing.

"Thank you for loving me this way, Ichigo-kun…"

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To Be Continued…_

Ps; For those of you who experience difficulties with Japanese, I will put a vocabulary list in the next chapter for those who'll ask.

Next Week: 2. Pained Heart - The heavy weight of a goodbye

**Thank you for reading and please review?**

_**-BDP-**_


	2. The Heavy Weight of a Goodbye

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2. Pained Heart – The heavy weight of a goodbye

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"Inoue-chan !"

Orihime turned around to see who it was that was calling her and found herself smiling as she saw that it was Rukia. "Kuchiki-san!" She said and stopped to wait until she had caught up with her.

"Ohayou !" Rukia greeted, once next to her. "Ne, ready to graduate?"

Orihime nodded with an excited grin. "Yes, finally!"

"Sooo—Where's Ichigo?" Rukia nonchalantly asked, or at least, tried.

"I left early this morning while he was still in the shower, he said he was going to meet up with Renji-kun later on—"

"Wait, hold on. What did you just say?" Rukia asked, standing still now and staring at her with a grin.

Orihime blinked and scratched the back of her head. "I left early this morning while he was still in the shower…" She let her phrase die out when she noticed the suspicious look her friend was giving her. "Kuchiki-san?"

"So when Ichigo said to me last night that he was going over to your place to help you with your speech, did you guys actually _work_ on the speech?" the black haired girl asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ehehehe…" Orihime chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well, you see, the thing is that err— I had already written the most important part and so eh—"

Rukia chuckled. "He ended up spending the night."

Orihime only nodded, but Rukia had already seen the tender expression that had spread over her features. "Was he gentle?"

At that the other girl blushed a deep color of red and quickly resumed her walk. The memories of the past night were engraved in her heart and she nodded, having decided not to worry anyone of the angsty part of her romantic night. "He… was."

Rukia came to walk next to her with a big grin on her face. "Welcome to womanhood, Inoue-chan!"

Orihime giggled shyly and nodded in acknowledgement. "Ne, Kuchiki-san… ano…"

"What is it?"

"Your first time… how was it?" Orihime asked softly, looking to her right at the river that tranquilly flowed by.

"Hmm…" Rukia cocked her head to the side and thought about it for a moment. "Clumsy," she then decided with a shrug.

"Was it with Renji-kun?"

Rukia smiled gently and turned to give her a look. "Don't tell him I said 'clumsy'."

Orihime laughed heartedly at that and tucked a strand of her long hair behind an ear. She then spun around, suddenly feeling giddy all over. "I can't wait to go to college! I just can't decide on what to study!"

Rukia chuckled and shrugged. "I have no idea either, not that it even matters…"

"How long are you guys going to be around for anyways?" Orihime wondered, walking backwards now, facing her friend with a grin. "Rangiku-san and Toushirou-kun have already gone back to the Soul Society."

"That anxious of getting rid of us?" Rukia said with a small smile.

"No! No, not at all Kuchiki-san! I was just wondering…" Orihime shrugged and giggled innocently.

"Well, I guess that Renji and I haven't returned yet for the simple reason that we haven't been called back. I guess they think that we can still be of use here."

"Oh… but it's been over 6months now that Ichigo-kun defeated Aizen," Orihime noted with a pensive expression on her face. "What if they forgot about you?"

"They did not forget about us!" Rukia exploded.

Orihime took cover behind her schoolbag. "Hai, hai, Kuchiki-san. I was only saying…"

"I just knew it was your screeching voice that ruined this seemingly peaceful morning."

Both girls turned to look behind Orihime to find Ichigo and Renji standing a few meters away from them.

"Ichigo-kun! Renji-kun!" Orihime happily exclaimed, running up to them. "Ohayou gozaimasu!"

"Ohayou, Hime…" Ichigo greeted her with a soft smile, kissing her fleetingly on a corner of her lips.

Renji took a step away from the couple and rolled his eyes. "Ughh… Just look at them acting all lovey-dovey so early in the morning. You'd think that they haven't seen each other in ages."

Rukia smiled coldly at him. "At least he got laid last night."

"Shut up!" The redhead growled underneath his breath, glaring at her dangerously. "That's _not_ my fault, Rukia!"

Rukia gave a high pitched laugh before hitting Ichigo over the head with her school bag in retribution for the comment he made earlier.

"Gah! What was that for?!" He cried out, rubbing over his head angrily.

Rukia didn't bother answering and took Orihime by her hand. "Come on, Michiru-chan and Chizuru-chan must be waiting for us to help them prepare the Sports Hall for the graduation ceremony."

"Oh! Okay!" Orihime turned to the two guys and waved. "See you at school!"

Renji grinned and folded his arms behind his head while he watched them go. "So it finally happened, eh?"

"Don't start, Renji."

The redhead shrugged and began walking in the same direction the girls had gone off to. "Congratulations, dude. You've just been promoted to the most envied guy on campus."

Ichigo only smirked and followed him.

* * *

"No. Waaaay!"

Ichigo watched with an annoyed look how Keigo ran from one side of the classroom to the other, hopelessly trying to get a date for the graduation party of that night.

"Why did you wait so long to find someone anyway?" Mizuiro asked and turned around in his seat to watch how Keigo crawled on his hands and feet to his desk in utter defeat.

"Because he's an idiot," Ichigo said indifferently, blinking sleepily as he waited for the break between 2nd and 3rd period to be over. His eyes rolled towards the clock standing on top of the black board against the wall and he yawned, bored out of his mind. Between his Shinigami duties and the time he spent with Orihime, school just seemed even more of a boring experience than it ever did. Especially when Keigo had one of his crazy days.

"Well excuuuuuuuse me, Kurosaki-sama!" Keigo dramatically said, pointing at him with a trembling finger, his eyes watering up. "I'm no Don Juan like you, but don't I deserve some love?? And I still can't believe you managed to have Orihime-chan as a date!"

"Eh, that would perhaps be because they're already dating?" Mizuiro pointed out, not even looking up from the novel he was reading. "It's been almost 6 months now."

"No. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!" Keigo cried. His jaw dropped on his desk as he seemingly shattered in pieces at this news.

Ichigo sat back in his chair and stretched out, opening one eye as he felt Keigo looming over him with a murderous glint in his eyes. "You've always known that _I_ like her, Kurosaki Ichigo!!" He said in a deep, raspy voice.

Ichigo sighed and closed his eye again. "Try and find a date for tonight, Keigo, instead of bothering me with your nonsense. Your time is already running out as it is."

"Waaaaaaaaaah! The indifference! Did you see that Mizuiro? He was totally indifferent to my suffering! Oh why do all my friends forsake me like thiiiiiiiiissss…?"

"Ichigo-kun?"

Ichigo looked up at the proprietor of that sweet voice and he smiled. "What is it, Hime?"

She blushed a little and gave him a radiant smile. "I was wondering if we could go over my speech later on."

"We looked it over yesterday, it was okay wasn't it?" he asked. "Are you nervous?"

She nodded courtly and reddened some more. "I just really want to do it well."

"Okay, do you want me to ask Ishida for help?"

Just as she was about to answer, she restrained herself and looked around. He had noticed it too.

The entire class had suddenly become very, very silent and everyone was staring at them, obviously following every word of their conversation.

"DON'T YOU PEOPLE HAVE ANY SHAME??" Ichigo cried to them, a vein popping out of his left temple.

Orihime sighed softly and scratched the back of her head. "I'm sorry, Ichigo-kun."

"Don't apologize. They're the ones at fault," he said, still glaring at all those who still dared to look their way. "I'll ask Ishida about it, okay?"

"Actually, ano…" She looked around herself and then bent over to whisper it in his ear. _"I would rather it to be just you and me at lunch."_

Ichigo nodded and she smiled. "That's good."

"Okay." And with that she went back to her place.

"What does he have that I don't?" Keigo tearfully said, biting on the hem of his shirt as he watched Ichigo lean back in his seat again.

Mizuiro flipped the next page of his book and resumed his reading. "Brains, for starters."

* * *

"Here… Bon appetit!"

Ichigo looked at the green chipped, purple colored muffins with a questioning expression on his face, wondering what he was supposed to do with them. "Eh, thanks, Hime… err— what _are_ these?"

"My special Coconut and Peanut butter muffins!" She exclaimed with a happy giggle, beaming with pride.

Ichigo looked at the muffins again, trying to figure out what part contained the peanut butter and what part the coconut. He wouldn't even ask why the muffins were purple and green in the first place.

"I'll save them for later…" he said with a thankful smile, putting the box with muffins next to him on the grass.

She smiled softly and took a breath. "Ichigo-kun…"

Ichigo turned to her and was surprised as her lips suddenly met with his in an unexpected kiss. "Hime…?"

"I just wanted to thank you," she reddened a little more and bit her lower lip, "for last night. Thank you for being gentle with me."

Ichigo pulled her closer and kissed her back softly. "It's okay…"he whispered against her lips, "you were wonderful last night. I should be thanking you…"

She gasped in surprise at that and could feel her eyes water up. "Ichigo…" She looked down at the balled fists on her lap and sighed again.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo whispered.

"I…" Orihime bit her lower lip and looked up at him, revealing her teary honey brown eyes. "I've decided to—"

It was the sudden cry of a new Hollow that kept her from finishing her phrase.

Ichigo turned to look at her and sighed. "I'm sorry, Hime."

"It's okay, just go…" She whispered with a brave smile.

At that same time, Shinigami Rukia jumped out from a nearby tree with Kon in her right hand. "Ichigo!"

"Nee-san! Noooooooo! I don't want to!" The stuffed animal protested, but as usual, it was in vain.

The Rukongan was rapidly removed and a few moments later Orihime watched how both Shinigamis jumped from tree to tree out of her sight. She then turned her face to Ichigo's head that lay in her lap and closed her eyes.

"Inoue-san looks sad…" Kon whispered, sitting up now.

"Oh… I do?" She whispered with an unconvincing smile. "Well then I guess I need to turn that frown upside down and keep on keepin' on!"

The modsoul mentally sweat dropped and watched her stand up, but held her back with his hand on hers. "Experience has showed me that oppressing your feelings is never good for anyone."

She chuckled shyly and nodded, but continued her way, and Kon could clearly see the tears that glistened in the corner of her eyes as she turned.

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest with a pout. "Man… Why doesn't anyone ever tell me anything?!" His eyes then fell on the white box next to him in the grass. "Oh! Muffins…"

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the graduate class of 2007!!"

Caps went flying in the air as the group of youngsters congratulated each other for finishing High School.

"That was a great speech, Inoue-san!" The principal told Orihime, shaking her hand enthusiastically. "I see a bright future ahead for you!"

"Thank you, sir! I did my best!" She smiled back before she got tackled over by an overly excited Chizuru.

"We made it Orihime-chan!" She exclaimed, taking the opportunity to hug herself against the other girl. "I can't wait until we're two hot college students! Oh, I have an idea! Why don't you and I share a dorm room, eh? Oh, it'll be sooo much fuuun, Orihime-cha—"

Her left cheek suddenly collided with Tatsuki's right foot and she flew a few meters away. "You seriously need to give it a rest, Chizuru! She already has a boyfriend!"

"Ehehe…" Orihime uneasily chuckled. "Thanks, Tatsuki-chan."

"As long as I'm around that pervert won't get anywhere near you, promise!" The dark haired girl spoke with a glare towards Chizuru who was crawling back on her feet in the distance.

Orihime chuckled again and expressed her thanks.

"Great speech. And oh, by the way, your boyfriend was searching for you," Tatsuki informed her with a small smile. "He's outside by the grand tree in the park."

"Ok, thank you," She said and waved at her. "I'll see you at the party?"

Tatsuke nodded and held up her right thumb. "For sure."

Orihime made her way through the sea of red and golden togas that obstructed her way to the double entry doors of the large hall. She stepped out in the dark night and walked around the building towards the School's small park. A few meters further she saw him sitting underneath a tree, patiently waiting for her.

"Ichigo…"

He looked up and stood with a smile. "I loved your speech."

She chuckled and scratched the back of her head. "Thank you."

"I noticed you changed it here and there," Ichigo whispered, bringing his hand up to her face and cupping her cheek. "You did great."

Orihime took a step closer and pressed herself up to him, wishing she could feel safe in his embrace like she always used to. Everything was so messed up now…

"Arigatou…"

"We got interrupted this afternoon. What was it you wanted to tell me, Hime?"

She held him closer and closed her eyes, just wanting to enjoy these simple instants of togetherness but unable to shake the growing feeling of fear she felt each time she thought about their possible future together.

When she had asked to be with him earlier, she had hoped that they could spend the entire day together before she would…

"Ichigo…" She started, knowing that she wouldn't hesitate this time. She kept telling herself that it was for him that she did this and that he'd be better off without her.

"Ichigo, I'm leaving."

Ichigo let go of her, and frowned with a smile. "What do you mean, you're leaving? Hime?"

She faced away from him and closed her eyes. "Ichigo-kun, please. This is already hard enough for me. I've decided to leave Karakura."

He shook his head, still not understanding. "Don't say it like I have no say in this, Orihime!"

She faced him now, steel determination in her eyes. "You don't _have_ any say in this, Ichigo!" She bit her lower lip and sighed. This was not supposed to turn out in a fight, she definitely did not want for them to part this way. "I've been accepted at the Nakase College for Girls a while back."

"Yeah, I know that, Hime. But didn't we decide to stay together?" He tried, not believing she was actually doing this.

Tears were now beginning to form in her eyes and she nodded sadly. "Ichigo… If you truly love me, you'll let me go…"

"You can't give me that excuse, Hime!" Ichigo whispered, taking her shoulders in his hands. "At least give me a true reason!"

"I… I can't… I want to, but I can't. Ichigo…" She was looking up at him now, her pain and sadness apparent in her eyes. "Trust me, it's for the best. I would only be putting you in more danger if we stayed together."

At that Ichigo furrowed his brows in suspicion. "Hime…What—?"

She took a startled step back and shook her head. "I've already said too much…"

She turned and wanted to run, but he held her back, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and placing his face in the crook of her left shoulder and neck. "Hime… talk to me. Please."

"I can't love you anymore, Kurosaki-san!" She tearfully, yet sternly whispered and turned away from his face near her shoulder. "Please let me go…"

"Orihime…" He felt his insides shatter at the distance she put in her words and she broke free from his grip.

"I'm so sorry, Kurosaki-san!"

And with that she broke into a run and disappeared off the School grounds.

He remained there, the full facts not yet registering to him. What had just happened?

"Ichigo! We have a problem!" Rukia emerged from the Sports Hall and came running up to him with her Soul Phone beeping alarmingly. "Menos! 2 of them!"

"Right…" He thoughtlessly said, still shaken by Orihime's sudden departure. He barely realized it when Rukia extracted his soul from his body with her glove and left his body on the ground near the grand tree.

Unbeknownst to the two Shinigami that rushed off in the distance, the previous inert body of Ichigo suddenly stood again, with eerie amber eyes that glowed fiercely in the shadow of the tree.

* * *

With an exhausted sigh, Orihime let herself fall on her bed. She knew she had done the right thing.

By tomorrow afternoon she would be far, far away from Ichigo and the others so she couldn't hurt them in any way. Her letter to Tatsuki lay ready on her key table near her door; she would drop it in her mailbox tomorrow morning before she'd go for the train station. She would call her later to apologize for missing the party. She'd come up with something to keep her from worrying.

She had packed her clothes after she came back from school, she already cleaned her apartment and emptied the fridge and left a letter for Shinmura-san in which she told her that she would no longer need her apartment.

As she lay there on her back, contemplating her ceiling she couldn't help but think of him again, wishing that everything hadn't gone the way it had gone once again. No matter how many times she beat herself into thinking that nothing could've changed how things were now, she still found herself wishing otherwise.

She curled herself up and turned on her side, hoping that Ichigo would find it in his heart to forgive her.

"Ichigo…"

She could still smell him on her sheets; she could still feel his presence… Everything they shared last night was no short of magical.

"I hope you'll understand…"

She stood up again and walked over to her small kitchen, took out a glass for water from one of the top cabinets and filled it underneath the faucet.

When she turned to go back to her room she found a dark figure standing in the door opening of her kitchen. A spiky haired, tall young man.

"Ichigo?"

A cackling laughter was then heard and amber eyes suddenly lit up in the moonlit darkness. "Guess again, Orihime-chan!"

The glass of water she had been holding hit the tiled floor and shattered into a million glittering pieces.

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List Chapters 1 & 2

-Aa: Yes/ Yeah

-Aibou: Partner

-Aishiteru: I love you

-Ano…: Euhm…

-Arigatou: Thank you

-Berry-san: Ichigo can mean 'Strawberry' in Japanese. The Hollow uses this form as an insult in Ichigo's regard

-Hai: Yes

-Hime: Ichigo's pet name for Orihime, it actually means 'Princess'

-Kirei: Beautiful

-Ne: an Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'So', 'Well', 'And?', 'Hey' or 'No?', depending on its position in the phrase

-Nee-san: Big sister

-Ohayou (Gozaimasu): Good morning.

-Okaeri (nasai): Welcome back

-Reiatsu: Spirit Pressure

-Rukongan: Spirit Pill or Soul Candy

-Yamete: Stop

_Next Week: 3. Prelude to Dawn – Midnight Mayhem_

**_To the readers of AFF and FF: Arigatou gozaimasu everyone for the encouraging reviews so far! I'm planning on posting a new chapter every week (I've already gotten to chapter 6). So I hope that you'll still be looking out for updates on this story!_**

**_Oh, and eh… those of you looking towards a 3some with IchigoxOrihimexH.Ichigo errr… well, sorry to disappoint but that would just ruin the plans I have for this story… This is in no way supposed to be a sex-story, even if sex will be present here and there (like in the next chapter). So yeah, just so we're clear on this._**

**_Anyhow, thanks again everyone! And see you next week (03-11-07)!_**

_To be continued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	3. Midnight Mayhem

* * *

3. Prelude to Dawn – Midnight Mayhem

* * *

"Guess again, Orihime-chan!"

Out of instincts, Orihime reached for her hairpins and jumped back, hoping to create enough distance between him and her. "Santen Kesshun!"

Her protective shield appeared in front of her, just in time to receive the first blow his white Zangetsu dealt.

"Clever…" The Hollow whispered, watching her through the yellow barrier of the Santen Kesshun with a predatory glint in his eyes.

"But you forgot something."

Orihime gasped as she suddenly felt him behind her.

"I can move faster than your eyes could ever detect."

He kicked her down on the floor and pointed the tip of his blade on her throat. "Now," he said with a grin, "I made a promise to you, didn't I…?"

With a horrified gasp Orihime watched how the first button of her white shirt flew in the air after he cut it off with his Zangetsu.

He licked his teeth at the sight of her heaving chest and cocked his head to the side. "Shall I go on and ruin your shirt, or do I hand you the honours?"

* * *

"Rukia! I thought that by defeating Aizen, the Menos wouldn't dare to show their face again in the living world!" Ichigo shouted, trying to overtop the wind that whistled in their ears as they sped off in the direction of the Tsubakidai Park on the other side of town.

"It _is_ strange that they even dared to! I don't know what's going on either!" Rukia yelled back as they jumped over another roof. A large group of trees could now be seen ahead of them and they quickened their pace.

Finally arrived inside the park, they could now see the large rip that began to form itself in the nocturnal sky.

"Here it comes!" Rukia released her Zanpakuto and jumped up into the trees to have a clearer view of the enemy ahead. "Ichigo!"

"Got it!"

Grabbing his Zanpakuto from behind his back and taking in a battle stance, Ichigo concentrated on his reiatsu, placed his left hand on his right arm while holding the blade forward and closed his eyes. "BAN-KAI!"

Rukia continued to approach the growing rip in the sky and witnessed how the first Menos stepped out of Hueco Mundo. She knew she needed to give Ichigo a little more time, although she was certain that her own attacks would be efficient enough against an opponent like this one.

"Sode no Shirayuki," she whispered, gracefully swinging her snow-white Zanpakuto around herself. "Opening Dance: Tsukishiro."

A white circle of light appeared underneath the first Menos' feet and small glittering shards of ice began to rise up into the sky until they became a wall of solid whiteness as tall as the Menos itself, enclosing it into the pale circle.

Rukia jumped down on the ground and watched how the wall of ice crackled at first and then shattered into a million pieces, leaving no trace of the Menos.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

A black crescent suddenly hit the second Menos even before it had fully stepped out, destroying it in an instant.

Sheathing her Zanpakuto back in its holder, Rukia turned around to see where her partner was. "Well, that was quick."

She received no answer whatsoever, but found Ichigo lying on the floor a whole way back, face down.

"Ichigo?" she cried, breaking into a run. "ICHIGO?!"

* * *

Urahara spread his mouth wide open and yawned, sitting himself on the steps of his porch while he contemplated the full moon.

"Apparently it was but small fry; it seems like Ichigo took care of it already. But why would 2 Menos attack now? It doesn't make any sense now that Aizen has been defeated."

Urahara nodded, agreeing with the golden-eyed woman that sat himself next to him now. "We know that Aizen is not in a position of sending in retaliating troops; his army of Arrancars has been decimated. Therefore we shouldn't be surprised to see regular Menos appear, they're probably attracted by the high concentration of reiatsu in this city. But I wouldn't worry. Not with Kurosaki-san around. The kid has an incredible amount of power that still needs to be tapped into. A Menos Grande isn't even a challenge anymore."

"Aren't you worried about the changes that have occurred in him lately?" Yoruichi asked, looking at him questioningly. "You must've felt it earlier; his reiatsu has completely changed."

"No," Urahara said, bringing his hand up to his chin, "his reiatsu hasn't changed. It's more like a part of it was suddenly suppressed…"

"A part of it was suppressed?"

The blonde man looked up at the skies again. His eyes, that went hidden underneath his bucket hat, had a calculating glint in them. "If we depart from the fact that Kurosaki-san's reiatsu is made out of three different components; the power of his Zanpakuto, his own power and the power of the Hollow that houses within him, then we could conclude that one of those components has disappeared."

Yoruichi gave him an alarmed look. "Are you talking about…?"

"His Hollow? Yes, it's the part of him that is more likely to rebel…" Urahara said thoughtfully. "Although, I wonder how it could ever manifest itself in the real world without the help of Kurosaki-san…"

Yoruichi shifted uneasily. "But then, if it disappeared from Kurosaki's soul, where did it go?"

Urahara sighed silently and looked ahead of him with a pensive expression on his face.

"We need to find out what happened to Kurosaki-san in the first place for his reiatsu to have changed like this."

* * *

With a smack Orihime was pushed against a wall, her left cheek pressed against the cold surface as the Hollow pushed her head to it.

Her white shirt lay with her torn up jeans on a pile next to the kitchen's door.

She could now feel how the cold blade slid against her back to cut through the small stroke of fabric that kept her bra together. A small whimper escaped her as the fabric tore apart and he pushed off the straps from her shoulders.

"Turn around now," Hollow Ichigo commanded with a lusty grin.

Orihime shivered and closed her eyes, shakily bringing her arms up her chest as she turned to face him, wearing nothing but her panties now.

"I suggest you remove those arms if you plan on keeping them, Orihime-chan!" he cackled, pointing his white Zangetsu on her again. "There's nothing to be ashamed of; I've already seen what an impressive pair you have."

Hot tears of shame rolled down her cheeks now as she slowly lowered her arms, facing away from him with her eyes closed.

The Hollow smirked and licked his lips, approaching his prey with a maniacal chuckle. With his right hand he reached out for one breast and toyed with it for a moment, enjoying the pained sounds the girl made.

"Seriously… How a wimpy-ass like Ichigo ever managed to get a chick this fine is beyond me…" He looked at her and brought his face closer to hers, taking in the soft scent of her creamy white skin. "Don't tell me, you don't like this, Orihime-chan… I know you do. I can smell it." His left hand then disappeared underneath the hem of her panties and he laughed at her vain attempt of holding him back. "So wet… so excited… all this, just for me?"

"Onegai…" Orihime sobbed in disgust of his tongue licking her in her throat and his finger that rubbed against her most sensitive spot. "Yamete… !"

He ignored her and slid his finger inside. "Better?"

"Ah!" She whispered, blushing even more now despite herself. "S-Stop—"

He captured her lips with his in a rough, deep kiss and added a second finger within her that made her cry into the forced kiss. He then let her go to look at the broken expression on her face with a satisfied sneer and thrust inside of her a couple of times more.

Her breasts were calmly bouncing up and down with every stroke of his fingers and the Hollow could see that she liked it by the way she desperately tried to hold back her moans by biting down on her lower lip to the point of bleeding.

"Did he ever touch you like this?" He whispered mockingly in her ear, licking the lobe. "Has he ever procured you this much pleasure?" He then bent down a little and captured one of her nipples between his teeth, teasingly squeezing the bud between them before lapping his tongue over it and suckling gently.

Before she could hold it back, she gave a loud, trembling moan and thrust back against the fingers that were still within her.

"That's it… just give into it…" He softly said, taking her mouth hostage again and pinning her left hand against the wall as she had wanted to push him away with it. She soon whimpered again as he quickened the pace of his fingers once more and her right hand dug itself into his right shoulder at the boiling sensation that began to build in her lower belly.

The Hollow suddenly let go of her and removed his fingers, leaving her trembling from her approaching orgasm and the tears she still shed.

Orihime breathed in soft gasps now while she watched how he brought his right hand fingers to his lips and tasted her, an approving grin on his lips. She felt like she had been given a drug, her entire body was on fire and her vision was blurry. Her mind barely registered it when he tore off her panties and placed her on the floor and climbed on top of her. His slithering tongue swirled around one of her nipples and she emitted a choked moan, bucking slightly when it travelled its way southwards on her body until it reached the apex of her thighs, where it licked its way in and out of her.

She came almost immediately, having lost control over her body completely now. Her pleasure filled voice echoed against the walls and she wished that she could die right there and then.

_Gomen_ _nasai, Ichigo…_

The Hollow now positioned himself over her, taking advantage of her drowsy state. "I always win, Orihime-chan," he whispered with a chuckle and pushed inside of her with a hard thrust that made her cry out at the excruciating pain that shot up her spine.

"Ichi… Ichigo…" she whispered with trembling lips, her eyes looking defiantly into his cold yellow ones, "Ichigo will destroy you."

His face contracted in anger at that and he pushed in harder, making her scream again. "I'll be the one to destroy him!" he shouted, looking at her tears of pain with growing excitement. "Me! You hear me, slut?"

Darkness began to fall around Orihime and soon, she fell through the surface of awareness to find her self slipping into a welcome state of unconsciousness…

* * *

"Ichigo, oi!"

The orange haired Shinigami blinked his eyes open and focused on the familiar face that hovered above him. "Rukia…"

"What the hell happened?" She wondered, helping him to sit up.

"I can't feel him there anymore…" Ichigo whispered. "He's gone…"

"What are you talking about, Ichigo?" Rukia was looking at him worriedly. "Who's not where anymore?"

Ichigo was holding on to his head, feeling like it was about to burst from the pain. "Rukia… I need to—"

_Gomen_ _nasai, Ichigo…_

"Hime?" He whispered, his eyes spread wide.

Rukia was at total loss now. "Inoue?"

A sinking feeling was now beginning to take over within Ichigo and he crawled up on his feet. "Something's wrong… I need—"

Rukia rushed to support him as she saw him fall over and felt how he was trembling violently. "Ichigo, you need to rest." She did not understand how it was possible for him to get that beaten after a simple Bankai transformation and a Getsuga Tenshou, but she was probably missing a few important elements to completely understand what was going on.

"No… Hime… She needs me…" He whispered, releasing himself from her hold and stumbling on his legs, breathing heavily.

Rukia hurried to his side again and helped him as they rushed back into town.

* * *

The full moon was shining through the open curtains and into the small apartment chamber, casting a large stroke of silver on the body that lay in the middle of room.

"Inoue!" Rukia exclaimed as she landed on the balcony with Ichigo leaning on her.

He lifted his head up to look into the room as well and saw her on her side, lying motionlessly on the floor. "Hime!" he called, wincing at the pain that shot through his body, but moving to open the window nonetheless. He entered and noticed that she was naked and bleeding from several cut wounds all over her body and from between her legs. "Orihime!" He whispered and looked around himself to find something to cover her up with.

Rukia kneeled next to him and handed him the TV-blanket that Orihime usually kept on the sofa behind them. "What the hell happened?" She whispered, watching with growing worry how Ichigo took her in his arms, wrapped safely in the blanket. "Ichigo…"

"Rukia… Please," he whispered, brushing back a strand of Orihime's hair. "Could you go and get Urahara-san…?"

"Ichigo…" she whispered. He laid her on the sofa and fell next to her on the floor with an exhausted, yet worried look on his features. Rukia knew he wouldn't be able to make the travel to Urahara the same way he came to Orihime's apartment.

_What on earth is going on tonight?_

She quickly made her way out the window and disappeared into the night.

"Orihime…" Ichigo whispered, feeling the sinking feeling from earlier get worse as he suddenly noticed the fine cut she had on her left cheek. He touched it and felt a boiling anger rise up within him. _That reiatsu…_

He had known it all along.

His Hollow within. It was here!

"Doushite, Orihime?" he then whispered, realizing now why she had wanted to distance herself from him.

_"I would only be putting you in more danger if we stayed together."_

"You knew… and yet… 'Kuso…" he gritted his teeth, "you wanted to protect me… Hime… And you paid the price…"

"Ichigo…"

His head shot up and he looked at her. "Orihime?"

She turned her face to his and smiled a pained smile. "Gomen nasai, Ichigo… I'm so sorry…"

He shook his head. "Don't apologize…"

"I thought I did well by distancing myself from you… I thought that that way he wouldn't get you through me…" she whispered, a tear rolling out of one of her eyes, "I weaken you and therefore make you more vulnerable to enemies' attacks…"

"Hime, what are you talking about?" Ichigo whispered back, caressing her head soothingly. "You make me feel stronger, not otherwise! Don't you know that by now?"

"He said…" she whispered, her voice trembling, "he said that he has planted the seed to your destruction."

"The seed to my destruction?" Ichigo echoed with a frown.

"Ichigo…" she sobbed now, "It's in me…"

Ichigo froze.

"I'm pregnant…" she whimpered, closing her eyes and looking away.

"He's put it in me!"

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List

-Doushite: Why?

-Gomen (nasai): I'm sorry

-(chi)Kuso: Damn it

-Onegai: Please

-Reiatsu: Spirit Pressure

-Sodeno Shirayuki: The name of Rukia's Zanpakuto, translated in English as being the 'Sleeve of the White Snow'

-Tsukishiro: The first attack of Rukia's Zanpakuto, 'Pale Moon'

-Yamete: Stop

_Next Week: 4.Blurred Reflections – On the Precipice of Darkness_

**_Thank you for the reviews, minna-san! See you next week!_**

_To Be Continued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	4. On the Precipice of Darkness

* * *

4. Blurred Reflections – On the precipice of darkness

* * *

The sun had begun its descent from the Heavens when he opened the door to the Urahara Shoten the next afternoon.

"Ah! Kurosaki-san! Good afternoon!"

"Hey again, Tessai-san," Ichigo greeted the bulky man with a little smile. "Is Urahara-san in?"

The man nodded, "He has returned not too long ago and is talking to Orihime-chan now."

"She's awake?!"

Tessai nodded courtly with a content smile. "You should go see her, she asked for you."

"Arigatou," Ichigo quickly stepped passed the man and into the corridor that lead to the house that was attached to the shop.

According to what Tessai told him, they found both him and Orihime unconscious in her apartment last night and brought them immediately to the shop where he and Urahara did an analyse of their injuries. When he woke up this morning, he was back in his body and she had been lying next to him on a separate futon, still unconscious. He stayed by her side the entire morning, beating himself up for not having seen the signs that had prelude the attack of his Hollow.

He still ignored why he himself passed out after last night's battle. Nothing made any sense to him and he hoped that now that Urahara was here he would get his answers.

Soft voices could be heard through the door of the 3rd bedroom and he slid it open, finding the former captain of the 12th squad of the Gotei 13 kneeled next to Orihime on the floor in the middle of the room with his back to him.

"Kurosaki-san," Urahara softly said with a smile, having noticed his presence. "We were wondering if you would come back at all."

A vein popped in the middle of Ichigo's left temple and he pointed at him, reprimanding. "I left a message with Tessai before I left at noon, asking for you to inform me if Orihime was to wake up!"

"Oh?" Urahara said with a pensive look on his face, turning his head around to look at him. He then smiled in faked embarrassment as he remembered what the orange haired young man was talking about. "Riiiiight!" he laughed merrily, holding his fan in front of his face. "I forgot!"

Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Dude, you seriously suck big time!"

A soft giggle could be heard and Ichigo approached the futon before kneeling next to it and taking Orihime's left hand in his. "You finally came…" she whispered with a small smile.

"Of course, Hime…" Ichigo softly spoke, placing his other hand on her head and caressing her hair gently.

Urahara silently rose upon his feet and exited to give the couple some privacy. There was a small glimmer of worry in his eyes that neither Ichigo nor Orihime caught when he slid the door closed. He would reveal the results of his research later, after the couple had had their moments of peace together.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting…" Ichigo brought her hand he was holding up to his lips and kissed the palm. "Tessai suggested I went home to take a shower and it felt like the right thing to do at the time…"

Orihime chuckled softly. "Who's making improper excuses now?"

He smirked briefly but quickly had an apologising, yet determined look on his face again. "Hime… I promise you that I'll fix this."

She shook her head and placed her hand on his lips. "Urahara-san told me that you're barely able of maintaining your Bankai form without using a whole lot of spirit power. I don't want you to go after your Hollow if you don't know what caused your fall-out of last night."

Ichigo looked away from her and closed his eyes. "How can you still be worried about me when you're in a state like this?"

Orihime made him look at her again. "Because I love you, Ichigo. Did you really think you were the only one allowed to worry?"

Ichigo sighed and shook his head. "I swore to protect you, and yet, because of me, look what happened…"

"Will you stop making that depressing face already?" Orihime smirked. "I'm supposed to be the patient here!"

Despite himself he cracked a laugh and nodded. "You're right."

"Hey," she said softly, catching his attention once more. "I don't want that face again, alright? It'll all be ok, I know it will."

Ichigo gave a short nod and took a breath. He was silently proud of her and the strength she showed despite what happened. He made the silent resolve to do whatever it took to catch that bastard of a Hollow.

Orihime let out a silent sigh and smiled to herself, happy to see the fire return in her Ichigo's eyes. She knew him well enough to know that unexpected set backs had a demoralizing effect on him and she just hoped that he'd keep that new found determination so he could find a way to fight his Inner Demon with renewed strength.

"How are you feeling?" Ichigo then asked, lying himself next to her on the relatively large futon. She scooted away a little to give him some space and lifted the cover for him to enter. "Are you still in a lot of pain?"

Orihime tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear and shook her head, scooting a bit closer to him again as he brushed another stray strand of her light brown hair from her right cheek. "There is no physical pain," she whispered, closing her eyes at the welcome feeling of his presence next to hers. "Demo…"

He watched her silently as she cast her eyes down and rubbed the tip of his nose against hers; wordlessly asking her to finish her sentence.

"Urahara-san proposed to abort my pregnancy…"

Ichigo didn't say anything, but only looked at her, trying to read what she felt.

Orihime sucked in a breath and let it go shakily, chuckling in embarrassment when she noticed that a tear had escaped from her right eye. "I mean," she said with trembling lips as she wiped the tear away quickly, "I don't know how you feel about it, since the Hollow— raped me with your body… so… it technically makes it your child, right?" She hesitantly looked up at him, but quickly averted her eyes again. "What are we going to do?"

He took her in his arms and held her close to his chest, "What did Urahara tell you?"

Orihime shook her head. "Not much, he only told me it would be best for all if we got rid of it."

"Tch… How very sensitive of him…" Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"He must have had a valuable reason for saying it…" she whispered.

"Orihime," Ichigo said in a serious manner, "how do you feel about it?"

"I'm scared…" she whispered truthfully, "I'm frightened of what it is that is growing inside of me, Ichigo…" Her shoulders were trembling slightly as she spoke and he held her closer to him. "But a part of me keeps thinking that maybe this baby deserves a chance at life… that perhaps it hasn't been infected by _him_…"

Ichigo closed his eyes. He had expected for her to say that because he felt the same way.

But what if this child turned out to be the seed that would destroy everything he held dear like the Hollow told Orihime?

"I need to speak to Urahara about this," he told her, soothingly caressing her back. "We need to find out why he deems it best to put an end to your pregnancy."

She nodded and began to sob, still buried in the comforting warmth of his embrace. "Ichigo…"

"We'll get through this, Hime… I promise." He kissed the top of her head. "I will find a way to destroy him once and for all. I have to find a way."

Orihime sniffled and held on to his sweatshirt, opening her eyes. "Tell me," she whispered, her voice sounding a little less shaky, "how did you manage to oppress him last time?" She had suddenly remembered something the Hollow had told her two nights ago.

"I fought with him," Ichigo responded, recalling that intense fight in his interior world. "I fought with him and I won. He was then forced to lend me the full capacities of his hollow powers as I absorbed him into my soul. It was because of that that I was able to become a Vaizard."

"You locked him inside your soul?"

"Aa…" Ichigo nodded. "I was capable of tapping into his power whenever the need arose for them."

"Can you feel him there now?" she asked, looking up at him.

Ichigo focused for a brief second and scowled. "It doesn't make any sense… He's there, as if nothing happened."

Orihime nodded silently in understanding. "He said you lowered you guard when you began to fall in love with me… He was able to grow stronger and escape because of it…" Her voice died out quietly and she looked downwards once more.

"Are you going at it again?" Ichigo tilted her chin and made her look at him. "You're going to make me sound like a broken gramophone record, Hime…"

"I-I know… and I'm sorry," she softly whispered, nervously fidgeting with the strings of his sleeveless hooded sweatshirt. "But he still attacked me to get to you. It's easy for someone to hurt you if they attack me first. I don't want to put you in that kind of a paining situation just because I'm such an easy target."

"Dame, Hime!" He sternly whispered, moving away from her to lock his eyes with hers that were watering up again. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again, you hear me? From now on, every time I need to transform into a Shinigami, I'll use Kon to take over. That way, if the need presents itself, he can come and warn me if you're in danger."

"I wish…" she sobbed, "I wish I didn't cause you all this trouble, Ichigo-kun." Her tears began to flow once again and he took her in his arms. "I had sworn to myself that I wouldn't be the one you'd constantly be worried about, that I could stand on my own and be strong enough to fight my own battles, but— I'm not even strong enough to distance myself sufficiently from you in order to protect you and now there's something growing inside of me that could destroy you and everything I love and care for most in my life!"

"Hime…"

"I'm so sorry!" She cried, holding on to him desperately as she sobbed on. "I'm so terribly sorry!"

Ichigo let her cry her bitter tears, not saying anything but only offering a shoulder for her to lean on in these moments of cruel torment.

He would tear that Hollow apart with his bare hands.

The ridiculous cat and mouse game they had been playing so far was going to be over now. This time he would either subdue him for once and for all, or destroy him for good. There had to be another way to attain more power than to have no choice but to revert to hollow ones.

There just _had_ to be.

* * *

The sun was setting underneath the horizon by the time Ichigo slipped out of Orihime's room, finding the lights in the corridor lit up to illuminate the night that had fallen over the city. He silently made his way to the living room as not to wake her now that she had finally managed to fall asleep again and opened the sliding doors.

A group of people had apparently waited for him to walk in.

"Ichigo, how is she?" Rukia pushed herself away from the wall she had been leaning on and took a few steps in his direction.

Ichigo looked around the room and met with all the concerned faces of his friends.

Uryuu had come, as well as Chad, Renji, Yoruichi and the four modsouls in their stuffed animal form; Kon, RinRin, Nova and Cloud. Urahara was sitting with them around the low table he kept in the middle of the room.

Ichigo turned his head to Rukia and sighed. "She fell asleep not too long ago," he softly said, moving himself to sit at the table between Chad and Uryuu. He accepted the cup of tea Urahara offered him and took a sip before falling silent.

"Is that all you're going to say, Ichigo!" Rukia exploded, "We're all worried about her!"

Urahara rolled his eyes from the black haired Shinigami to the orange haired young man sitting across from him and waited patiently for what he knew would come.

"Urahara-san," Ichigo whispered. "Why did you suggest ending Orihime's pregnancy?"

The silence that was created with those words was heavy, engulfing any other sound in its wake.

"I-Inoue-san is expecting?" Uryuu whispered shakily, still not believing what he had just heard.

"How is that possible?" Cloud exclaimed, looking at Ichigo from his spot on the table.

RinRin placed her hands on her sides, rolled her eyes and shot her companion an annoyed look. "Ne, baka! It's obvious _how_ she got pregnant!"

Kon made a sound somewhere near a giggle and an excited groan. "And I who thought that Ichigo wasn't man enough to use his soldier and—"

Ichigo grabbed him by one of his stuffed arms and threw him behind him, making the lion plushie hit the wall.

"The problem is the being that she's carrying inside of her," Yoruichi explained, crossing her arms over her chest from her position next to Urahara.

"Being?" Chad asked.

Rukia had her eyes spread open wide and a trembling hand came to cover her mouth as she realised what Yoruichi had meant. "A hybrid created from a crossing between a Shinigami and a Hollow, and possessing the Event Reject powers of Inoue…"

"Let's not forget that Kurosaki is no ordinary Shinigami to begin with. Even without his hollow powers." Renji added pensively, thinking back of the very first fight he and Ichigo had had on that night he had been ordered to bring Rukia back home to the Soul Society to stand trial. A strange power had emanated from Ichigo then, a power he couldn't possibly have had the strength to call upon since he had been near death. "That baby will be packing some serious fire power…"

"With the combined powers of Kurosaki's Hollow and Inoue that this child will have, we're facing a catastrophe in the long run," Yoruichi spoke.

"A seed of destruction," Urahara concluded.

Ichigo, who still hadn't said a word, placed down his cup of tea and looked up at Urahara. "Urahara-san, when do you think it'll be possible for you to begin with the extraction procedure?"

After hearing everything that had been said he had taken a decision. There was no other way for him to do this. If he did not act soon, everything would be lost.

Urahara watched him intently for a few moments and then looked at his cup of tea on the table. "As soon as Inoue-san feels strong enough to endure it."

Ichigo nodded and began to stand. "Then do it…"

"Ichigo, where are you going?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo did not respond and continued his way to the door.

"Kurosaki-san!" Urahara loudly said, making him stop in his steps. "How do you plan on facing it with only half of your powers? Unless you plan on dying, I wouldn't just run head first into a battle you know you can't win."

Ichigo balled his fists and gritted his teeth, shaking with held back anger. He knew Urahara was right, but still… "I can't just sit here and do nothing!" he spoke through his clenched teeth. "It's my carelessness that caused Orihime to get raped! My carelessness that has all of you silently blaming me! And don't think I don't know how you all think!"

Rukia stepped up to him with a closed expression on her face and slapped him hard. "Snap out of it!" she angrily whispered. "Right now!"

"Rukia," he whispered, holding on to his sore left cheek, caught completely off guard.

"You shit-faced idiot," Renji said with a disdainful chuckle, shaking his head. "You still don't get it all, do you?"

"Renji…"

"Seriously, Kurosaki," Uryuu mockingly spoke, pushing his glasses up his nose as he stood now. "Wanting to play the hero is one thing, going into a fight with no means for defence or offence is another. Especially when you know that you have your nakama here with you."

"Or do you need us to beat that knowledge through that thick skull of yours?" Chad added, hitting his right fist into his left hand palm with a small smile.

"Ichigo, when are you going to understand this?" Rukia asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "We're your friends, your companions in battle _and_ through life."

They all nodded in consent and Ichigo sighed, shaking his head. "You people don't _understand_!" he angrily spoke. "I'm the only one who can fight this Hollow! I need to enter my inner world and face him on my own, you can't come with me!"

"Can I have a go?" Renji asked Rukia with an amused chuckle.

"I want to be next," Chad chimed in.

Rukia stepped aside and Renji dealt Ichigo a strong right punch in his stomach before adding an elbow blow on his back that had the orange haired youth hit the floor.

"I would like to have a house left after this!" Urahara nervously said with a slightly worried smile.

Ichigo grunted in pain. "Renji, you asshole! What the fuck do you think—"

Renji silenced him by putting his foot on his head, pushing him back down on the floor. "Now you listen, and listen well you pitiful excuse for a Shinigami!"

"I cam't meathe!" Ichigo said, his face still pressed into the floor.

"Well you don't need to be breathing to listen to what I'm going to tell you!" Renji retorted.

"Actually," Cloud said, sticking his stuffed hand up in the air, "If he can't breathe for a while he won't be able to hear you at all, because—"

"URUSAI NA!!" Renji, Rukia and Uryuu yelled in unison to the stuffed animal.

Renji then turned back to Ichigo. "Ichigo, did you actually think we'd let you go fight that Hollow in your current state?" He lifted his foot from his head and crossed his arms on his chest.

Ichigo moved himself into a sitting position while he held on to his nose, casting murderous glances the redhead's way.

"Rukia here told us exactly what happened last night when you two fought those Menos," Renji continued. "It's obvious that that Hollow has significantly reduced your power by separating himself from your soul when it was ejected from your body."

"He posses half of your Shinigami powers, Ichigo," Yoruichi said. "And he holds the key to your Vaizard transformation. To use your Bankai without his part of necessary power is like trying to jump over a large gap without a run-up."

"I still need to beat him to get my powers back!" Ichigo said, still holding on to his nose that was now bleeding.

Nova jumped off the table and handed him a tissue for his nose. "Let your friends help train you to become stronger," was all he said.

"Let them train… me?" Ichigo looked up at the group of people standing around him and frowned. "Is that what you guys want? To help train me?"

Rukia chuckled. "It took a while, but it looks like he finally seems to understand."

"Naniokure?!" Ichigo jumped on his feet and looked like he was about to spit fire. "You beat me and nearly try to kill me just to tell me THAT?!"

"Nah," Renji shook his head, giving him a teasing grin, "You die hard. Everyone knows how many times I've tried to kill you. You're like some sort of persistent weed that won't die."

"Yeah right!" Ichigo yelled back at him, "I won't even call those times you tried 'attempts'! You barely scratched me!"

"Then maybe you should get your brain checked, carrot top!"

"Or maybe you need to get yourself some glasses to aim better instead of adding new scrawls all over your face—"

"These are not scrawls! Each one of these markings is proof that my strength has increased every time I reached a new level of power!"

"Oh? And who gave them to ya? That monkey of yours?"

"He's NOT a monkey!"

"Right… what was it? A baboon? Wait, but that is a _type_ of monkey, right?"

"Why you…!"

"Yosh!" Urahara said, leaving Ichigo and Renji to their heated discussion and addressing the others that chose to listen to him. "If it is alright with you all, I would like to start Kurosaki-san's training tomorrow morning."

Everyone who was still listening nodded and began to stand to return to their homes.

"Urahara," Rukia whispered as the group was now standing outside the door to the shop.

Urahara gave her a questioning expression. "Hai, Kuchiki-san?"

"Do you think Ichigo stands a chance?"

Urahara cocked his head to the side and smiled a little. "Of all the people from whom I though would have full faith in Kurosaki-san, you sure are surprising me with that question."

"It's just that…" She cast her look downwards after she had watched Ichigo and Renji quarrelling like an old couple a few meters away. "What happened to Inoue has made him even more impulsive then he was before. You saw how he reacted, he wanted to go fight that Hollow with no powers of his own!"

"Aa…" The shop owner nodded, "but his impulsiveness is something our Kurosaki-san is known for. He has a good sense of self, no matter how reckless he sometimes appears. So yes, I'd say that, if you guys help him, he has a fair chance of recovering some of the powers his Hollow stole from him."

Rukia gave a court nod and began walking away, not paying attention to Renji who stood in the courtyard still yelling profanities at Ichigo who stayed behind.

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List

-Aa: Yes/Yeah

-Arigatou: Thank you

-Baka: Idiot

-Dame (da): Stop it

-Demo: But

-Hai: Yes

-Nakama: Loosely translated, it means: 'Colleagues' or 'Really close friends', 'Companions'

-Naniokure?: What (the fuck) is this?

-Ne: an Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'So', 'Well', 'And?', 'Hey' or 'No?', depending on its position in the phrase

-Shoten: Shop

-Urusai (na): Shut (the fuck) up

-Yosh: Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'Alright' or 'Okay'

_**Err… I know it looks bad to ask for reviews but, I mean, over 500 hits for the last chapter and only 4 reviews? How is an author supposed to get encouraged from this? I mean, not that I'm not grateful, but I figured that if that much people wait each week for the next chap, there'd be more responses. How can I know if it's truly worth continuing or not? sighs I truly wished I didn't have to revert to this… (again).**_

_**See you next week!**_

_Next Week: 5.Whispers in the Dark – The 3-Way Crossing_

_To be continued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	5. The 3 Way Crossing

* * *

5. Whispers in the dark – The 3-way crossing

* * *

"Hah— haah-aahh—"

"Again, Ichigo! Motto!"

Swords clashed once more in a frenetic rhythm as the training took on a more aggressive character and the frequency of exploding rocks in the enormous underground training place increased with one every 3 seconds.

Urahara was sitting with Ururu, Jinta and Yoruichi near the ladder having a little picnic as they looked at the spectacle that happened in the distance.

"Kisuke-san, your tea, sir," Ururu whispered, holding up a cup of warm green liquid up to him.

The shop owner took the cup in his hands with a grateful smile and then resumed his observation of Ichigo's fight with Rukia.

"He's still using too much spirit power in comparison to what he used to need," Yoruichi spoke, sitting with her legs crossed on a higher pile of rocks. She shook her head at Ururu's offer of cookies with her tea and sighed. "At this rate, he won't last long and we're running out of time."

"But you have to admit that he's been going for 5 days straight," Jinta said with an amazed look in his eyes. "He sure is strong."

Urahara took a sip of his tea and silently continued to watch the fight.

"GETSUGA—"

"Kisuke," Yoruichi softly said, sliding off from her rock. "He needs a break."

"TENSHOU!"

Rukia didn't even move from her position as Ichigo send her his most lethal attack, watching how the white crescent passed right next to her. "You need a break, Ichigo."

"Hell… no!" He breathed back, leaning down on his Zangetsu. He wiped away a few sweat drops from his right temple with the back of his hand and lifted his blade again. "Ikimashou, Rukia!"

Urahara stood and began walking to them. Over the past 5 days Ichigo had grown a little stronger, but he was far from the objective they had all set for him to achieve. He even lost his ability to use his Bankai now that his body couldn't handle the excess of effort that required…

No matter how much he knew the orange haired youth would not want to hear nor admit it, the truth was that he seemed to grow weaker with every day that they spent here training. It was like the Hollow was keeping him from accessing the power Urahara knew Ichigo still had in him. He just wondered how they'd be able to access them without having to confront the boy's alter ego.

And like Yoruichi had said, time was becoming a pressing issue.

Orihime was already showing even though there hasn't even been a week that has passed since she was forcefully impregnated. Her spirit force was still too weak for her to endure a spiritual cleansing of her body and he wondered if they would be able to save her if they tried to extract the unborn child from her womb now.

To his request, he had kept the others from informing Ichigo from the growing problem, having decided that the additional weight of that news would slow him down in his training. Yet, now that he had noticed the stagnation in the boy's growth, he would willingly risk that in the hope that it would boost him further into training harder.

"You imbecile! I said "You need a break"! It was not a suggestion, but an order."

"Tch," Ichigo disdainfully whispered, still holding his blade pointed at Rukia. "Who the hell are you to give me orders?"

A vein popped out of Rukia's forehead and she placed her hands on her hips. "Look, I can either make you go take a break or you can go on your own!"

"Like I said," Ichigo smirked, "Who are you to give me orders?"

"That's it!" Rukia unsheathed her sword again and pointed it at him. "I'm gonna make you take that goddamned break!"

A renewed smirk appeared on Ichigo's lips and he took in a battle stance. "Bring it."

"Now, now kids!"

Out of the blue, Urahara was suddenly standing in between them, clapping his hands. "Time for a break! Anyone wants some tea? Ururu just made some and I must say—"

"No thanks, Urahara-san," Ichigo said taking in his battle position again. "I don't need a break."

Urahara turned his head towards him with a questioning look. "Sure you do, Kurosaki-san."

Rukia lowered her blade and sheathed it. "You really do, Ichigo."

"Don't make me make you!" Urahara happily said, waving with his cane.

"Tch… maybe it wouldn't hurt to give you a breather, Rukia," Ichigo then said, lowering his Zangetsu with a small chuckle.

"I'll ask Renji to come tomorrow, if that's alright with you, Ichigo," Rukia said, smirking. "That way I can watch him beat the crap out of you."

"At least he'll be a challenge!" Ichigo retorted with a defiant smirk.

Rukia smiled at his unwavering determination and nodded before walking away in the direction of the ladder.

"Urahara-san," Ichigo began, but got cut off by the blonde man himself.

"Kurosaki-san," Urahara said giving him a reprimanding look from underneath his bucket hat. "Even though things aren't going as fast as you wished they'd go, knowing when to take a break is also part of the training. The body needs rest after a great effort, the soul is no different."

Ichigo sighed and sat himself down on a nearby pile of rocks.

"Don't let your worries for Inoue-san have the better of you. Training heartlessly with only revenge as sole purpose is not going to give you the desired effect," the former captain wisely spoke. "Inoue-san is counting on you to return to her safe and sound. Take it as your responsibility to not deceive her with that."

Ichigo closed his eyes and nodded. He had been fighting with his heart filled with hatred and had only set his goals on gaining powers as fast and as much as possible. Urahara was right and he had to think of Orihime who would be waiting for him to return to her in one piece.

"Ururu, Jinta!" Urahara then merrily called, orienting himself to the exit where both kids were still sitting with Yoruichi. "Could you go prepare a nice warm bath for Kurosaki-san?"

"Arigatou," Ichigo whispered, standing upon his feet.

Urahara waved his fan in front of his face. "Please… don't mention it! You smell like you need one!"

With an annoyed look Ichigo turned around to walk on. "Gee… thanks."

* * *

Absolute darkness surrounded her while her body floated somewhere in the immense nothingness. How long had it been since she'd been here? Hours? Days? It was so hard to keep a track on time when everything around you was engulfed in an impenetrable darkness.

Then, like a drop that falls on the surface of water, her feet landed and a glowing green field appeared around her.

She was lying in the high, wavy grass now and the sky above her was of the clearest blue, with no clouds in sight.

She sat up and looked around, finding the same scenery for as far as her eyes could see.

"You finally came to visit me, Orihime."

Orihime turned in the direction of the voice and gasped in shock.

"Don't be afraid, please. It's only me…"

Orihime shook her head and squinted her eyes in disbelieve. "Onii-chan?"

The young, brown haired man smiled and nodded. "Orihime-chan, I've been waiting for you for so long."

Orihime still couldn't believe what she was seeing and began to stand. "You've been waiting?"

He nodded, still smiling.

She bit her lower lip and placed her right arm against her chest as in defence. This couldn't be her brother Sora. Her brother died in a car accident a long time ago. It had to be some kind of a trick.

"If you're truly my brother," she whispered, "then tell me what I told him the last time I saw him."

The young man chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "You created me, Orihime. I'm a part of you."

"Answer the question, please," Orihime whispered, taking a step back.

He smiled and placed his hands on his hips. "Alright," he sighed, "you didn't tell me anything before I left that morning."

Orihime balled her fists, realising he was right, but still not trusting him. "Why didn't I?"

"Why?" He echoed.

_Now we'll see…_

"Because you thought that those hairpins I gave you and that you're now wearing were too childish."

Orihime had no other choice but to admit that he was right and took a shaky breath as he approached her.

"Don't be afraid. I'm the brother you still have alive in your heart. I have no reason to harm you."

"B-But how?" She breathed, not understanding how she could even see him now.

"This is your interior world, Orihime," he said, placing a hand on her cheek. "I exist here as the representation of your Shun Shun Rikka; the power of your soul."

"This is how my inner world looks like?" she whispered, looking around in growing awe. "But, what am I doing here? How did I even get here?"

"Questions."

She turned to him. "Eh?"

He took a step closer and placed his arms on her shoulders, turning her around to show her a suddenly very different scenery. "You're here because of the questions that have been tormenting your soul."

The land she was looking at now was dying and looked more and more as a desert the further she looked.

"When you let yourself be taken over by a strong feeling of despair, this is what happens here," Sora explained. "Though usually you always keep a glint of hope existing within yourself," he now pointed at the speckles of green here and there, "it seems like, this time even that is starting to disappear."

One of the green spots vanished before her very eyes.

"The events of the passing days have deeply troubled your inner balance."

Orihime instinctively placed her hands on her lower belly and closed her eyes. "Something is growing within me with rapid speed and I'm too afraid of what it'll become."

"Ichigo's child or the Hollow's." Sora pointed to his left to something up in the sky and she saw a bright, glittering cloud of white smoke up there.

"Nande?"

"It's the being that is growing within you, Orihime. It has indeed been developing itself with amazing speed and will be part of this world very soon."

"Very soon?" She asked with growing worry, "how soon is 'Very soon'?"

"A month, if not within 3weeks already."

"N-Nani?" Orihime found it hard to breathe as she was suddenly taken over by immense fear. "T-that's not possible…"

"Orihime," Sora whispered gently. "There is a way for you to find the strength and the answers you need."

"What am I supposed to do?" She shakily whispered.

"Come with me," he spoke, reaching out to her. "It's time you find out what answers your inner self has to offer."

Orihime blinked a few times and placed her slightly trembling hand in his.

Immediately the scenery changed around them again and it was night. They were now standing on a 3-way crossing.

"These," Sora explained, "are the 3 paths you can choose from to find the answers to your inner torment.

Higashi no Komichi. The East stands for beginnings." He turned to the road on her right. "On this path you'll return to your origins, Orihime. You'll lose your powers and in that way erase everything that came out of them from the moment you used them for the first time." He then looked at the road stretching itself behind him. "Kita no Komichi. The North stands for constancy. You'll return to Ichigo here, but nothing will have changed. You'll still be pregnant and you'll retain your powers. No change will occur in your powers and you'll remain at the level you are now."

Orihime nodded in determination and he turned to the last path that was on her left. "Nishi no Komichi," Sora continued, "The West, stands for change and alteration."

She frowned slightly. "Aren't those the same thing?"

"Iye," he shook his head. "Notice how all previous paths brought known existent or non-existent change to your physical status or powers. You've known how life without your powers felt like. You know how you were when you weren't pregnant. And of course your current state is something you're aware of as well. The Western Path," he looked at the road, "Doesn't offer any comfort of such knowledge." His eyes focused on her again. "The change stands for a difference in your spiritual power and the alteration stands for a difference in your physical and emotional status. In other words, your powers could grow stronger or weaken and you may experience endless happiness and pleasure or more torment and pain."

"In short," Orihime whispered, "it's the path of my destiny."

Sora nodded. "A destiny that is still in the making, Orihime."

She took a shaky breath and turned to the Eastern Path again. "Path of my past… A path I've already walked."

Sora came to stand next to her. "A past you could reject and rebuild if you chose to take it."

She then turned to the Northern Path. "Path of my present… A path filled with trials, pain and torment, but…" She smiled softly, "A path… that has Ichigo in it…"

Sora nodded with a small smile. "Your beacon of strength."

Orihime nodded in turn. "I risk changing this future, no matter how painful it is at times, if I choose to go back and change everything our friends and us have been through. And that is something I just—" She oriented herself to the Western Path with a determined look on her face, "—can't do."

"Have you chosen your path?" Sora asked looking down the Western Path that seemed to go on for miles and miles on end.

"I won't let despair destroy this world's fields of green."

Sora smiled and silently nodded. "Trust in me and in the power of your soul, Orihime."

Orihime nodded solemnly and took a step forward. "My destiny lies in my own hands." She then turned to him a last time. "I'll try and come to visit more often, onii-san! Thank you for everything!"

The brown haired man nodded and waved at her. "I'll be looking forward to your next visit, nee-chan! Be strong."

"Yes," she said, turning around again. She took a deep breath before breaking down in a run. "Bye, Sora-nii!"

He watched her running for a while before he turned his eyes up to the sky and noticed how the transparent, glittering cloud of smoke slowly began to grow in mass and to turn into an ominous black colour.

"Gambatte ne, Orihime…"

He closed his eyes and began to walk away, disappearing into nothing as he went.

* * *

With a stretched out sigh Ichigo lowered himself in the extremely hot water of the tub, wincing now and then when it caused his superficial wounds to slightly sting.

He closed his eyes and let his mind drift away on a gentle stream of incoherent thoughts. Rukia was suddenly standing there wearing a ridiculous cake-costume with her arms and legs sticking out like some sort of funny protrusions. He suddenly craved for cake, having heard his stomach growl with hunger and he chased after her, but somehow she seemed to be able of evading all of his Getsuga Tenshous with ease, making him only hungrier and crankier. Renji appeared out of nowhere and chased after her with him but once Ichigo cast a look at him he couldn't help but look at his friend with an amused grin. He asked his red haired companion why on earth his body was that of a baboon and received a vicious left paw in his right eye and a whole lot of non-comprehensible monkey screeches and high pitched shrieks. Ichigo simply walked away from the infuriated Renji-faced baboon that bounced up and down in a fit.

He was all of a sudden aware of someone calling his name in the distance. He searched for the source of the voice -for God knows what reason- in the middle of a forest made out of trees that had unevenly serrated blades as trunks. He searched and searched for the proprietor of that voice that sounded so familiar to him, for what seemed hours until he finally arrived at an opening in the woods where he found a large, black, with tribal signs ornamented box standing there with a dark haired woman sitting on it.

Her back was to him, and she was humming a soft tune and apparently did not notice that he was there.

Ichigo called to her softly, wondering if it had been she who had been calling him. She didn't seem to hear him and hummed on.

He decided to approach her, but suddenly found himself unable to do so as his feet were stuck in the gooey substance that had at first been grass. Ichigo called to her again while at the same time he tried to free himself from the green puddle that kept him from taking another step.

This time she heard him and she slowly began to turn her face around, halting when she faced fully to her side.

He could only see the underside of her face from behind the black curtain of her hair that fell in such a manner that her eyes went hidden. Her rosy lips curled into a malevolent smirk and Ichigo halted in his movements.

When next she spoke, her voice sounded like a mixture of many voices mashed together that sent shivers up his spine.

"We've been waiting."

All air left his lungs when she fully turned around and her cold black eyes with yellow irises met his.

This couldn't be…

"Ori… hime…?"

She stood and cocked her head to the side as she contemplated him with a nearly loving gaze. "Now the fun part can begin! I hope you're ready," she giggled and then burst into a maniacal laughter. "Because I'm coming for you, Ichigo!"

He suddenly fell through the gooey substance his feet were stuck in and he found himself surrounded in the deepest darkness and deprived from oxygen for what seemed an eternity before a pair of gentle, yet strong arms lifted him up and exposed him to air. He recalled smelling a faint flowery perfume that he had always associated with—

_Orihime…_

Ichigo broke through the surface of his bathwater with a loud gasp, blinking his eyes open and seeing nothing but blurry dots of dancing colours for a while before he realised where he was.

He fell asleep?

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo turned towards the door and saw Jinta standing there, breathing heavily as if he had just run a mile at top speed. "Ichigo!"

Setting the memory of his disturbing dream to the side, he rubbed the excess water from his eyes and asked the boy what was wrong for him to be in such a state.

"Kisuke-san sent me! It's Inoue-san! There's something wrong with her!"

Not even 5 seconds later Ichigo had clad himself in a fresh yukata and was running down the corridor towards Orihime's room.

A loud explosion was then heard that made the entire house tremble on its foundations.

When Ichigo and Jinta arrived at Orihime's room, they were both surprised to see the level of devastation that had left the room in a barely recognisable state. Tessai had been knocked unconscious in a corner of the chamber.

"What the hell—" Ichigo began, but felt like his insides were about to be turned inside out and he fell on his knees as his limbs suddenly felt like lead.

He knew what it was, he had felt it before.

Urahara stood with his back to him and was staring at something above him. One of his hands was placed on his back with its palm open in his direction. "I can't allow you to interfere, Kurosaki-san," he whispered. "Stay back."

A restraining spell.

Ichigo lifted his eyes up to the ceiling of the room and could've sworn that he was hallucinating.

A rip had created itself in the ceiling and inside, Hollow Ichigo was holding a seemingly lifeless Orihime in his arms. Her face, that was tilted back, was pale and her right arm dangled underneath her. Her long light brown hair was beginning to change into a darker colour from the base down and the hairpins she always wore in it fell off her head and onto the floor of the room.

"ORIHIME!" Ichigo cried, unable to move.

"Pathetic!" Hollow Ichigo sneered, "she should've left you a long time ago!"

"GIVE HER BACK! ORIHIME!"

"She can't hear you, you know," the Hollow said with a smirk as he looked at her lovingly. "She's already under my influence and soon, we'll make but one she and I. And then," he shifted his amber eyes on Ichigo. "We'll wipe you out of existence!"

"YOU ASSHOLE! LET HER GO RIGHT NOW!"

The Hollow only laughed his cackling laugh and disappeared behind the rip as it closed itself, leaving no trace of him or Orihime.

Ichigo could feel the spell wear out on him and he crawled onto his feet, running into the room even though he knew it was too late.

"ORIHIMEEEEEEEE!"

She was gone.

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List

-Gambatte ne: Do your best

-Higashi no Komichi: Path of the West

-Ikimashou: Let's go

-Iye: No

-Kita no Komichi: Path of the North

-Motto: More

-Nande: What

-Nani: What

-Nishi no Komichi: Path of the West

-Onii-chan: Big brother (Sora-nii brother Sora)

-Yukata: A light version of a Kimono. Used as a bathrobe here.

_**Yes, I see the foolishness of my previous words now and I shouldn't have asked for reviews, it made me sound greedy and that's not the image I want you peeps to have of me out there! Honto ni gomen minna-san! It wasn't fair towards those of you who DO read and review each time! Domo Arigato to all of you!**_

_**Please look out for next week's chapter! (Whoa, chapter 6 already?!)**_

_Next Week: 6. Innocence Lost – Scarlet Tears_

_To be continued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	6. Scarlet Tears

* * *

6. Innocence Lost –Scarlet Tears

* * *

Soft knocks sounded against his door. 

"Ichi-nii?"

He only turned himself around in his bed, facing away from his room's entrance.

"Ichi-nii, I brought you dinner, please open up?"

He wasn't hungry and he didn't feel like seeing anyone. Better yet, he wished he couldn't feel anything.

He just wished he was dead.

Why was he so ridiculously weak?

The one thing he loved most was gone and he had done nothing to stop it…

A person who had wanted to protect him was taken away from him…

What kind of a man was he for letting that happen?

Again?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Teme!_ _You let them get away!"_

_Urahara only looked at him with a stern expression on his face, not reacting to the accusation of the orange haired young man in front of him._

"_Jinta," he said, still fixing Ichigo while the little boy shakily stood up from his crouched position behind the door._

"_Y-yes, sir?"_

"_Get Yoruichi-san and have her meet me in the living room. Also, call Ururu and have her bring the first aid kid for Tessai."_

"_Hai!"_ _And the boy was gone._

_Ichigo still looked at the former captain with an accusing stare. "Doushite? You could've easily done something!"_

"_It wasn't up to me to do something, Kurosaki-san," the blond quietly spoke without a visible sign of anger or emotion matching that kind. "I would've saved her and then what? You'd tell her that you were too weak to protect her? Again?"_

"_You didn't even GIVE me a chance!"_

"_I think we both know what the result of that would've been, Kurosaki-san," Urahara whispered, facing away from him now and walking over to the hairpins that lay on the floor._

_Ichigo cast his eyes downwards and closed them, trembling with rage from head to toe._

"_Kurosaki-san," Urahara softly said, still crouched next to the hairpins as he now picked them up. "Inoue-san is counting on you to save her." He stood up and walked to him. "Your feelings for her are what is keeping her strength fuelled so she won't give into the darkness that has taken over her body." He held his balled right hand up to him with its palm down._

_Ichigo lifted his right hand with a frown, watching how Orihime's hairclips fell in his palm._

"_Return tomorrow for your training." And with that Urahara left, leaving Ichigo with his tormented feelings._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A star twinkled brightly up in the night's sky and he groaned in deep shame before taking his pillow to cover his face with.

Urahara had wanted to protect the little bit of pride he had left, but Ichigo felt that, now, he couldn't care less about a thing like that…

"Orihime…"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Previous analysis showed us that the child she's carrying appears to be in its sixth month of gestation, Kurosaki-san. The reason why I chose not to tell you was to keep you from worrying even more so you could fully concentrate on your training."_

_Urahara watched how Ichigo remained silent while he simply walked passed him to exit the shop._

"_Kurosaki-san—"_

"_Aa…" Ichigo waved the back of his hand at him, not even bothering to look back, "mata ne, Urahara-san."_

_Urahara sighed silently and shook his head, before stepping into the shop to close the front door. "This is one hell of a mess…"_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The hairpins shone brightly in the soft light on his night table next to his bed.

He couldn't help but stare at them while memories came flooding his mind and shooting daggers through his heart.

"_I hope you're ready, Ichigo! Because I'm coming for you!"_

"_We'll make but one, she and I…"_

He thought he had awoken from that dream, but apparently the nightmare had followed him into reality and he couldn't seem to find a way of shaking it.

"Hime… I failed you again…"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Her small hand was holding his as they ran through the rain that had suddenly decided to fall over the small town._

_She was laughing; her cheerful voice was echoing through the streets and he couldn't help but get infected and crack a smile of his own._

"_Ne, Ichigo-kun!_ _What is there to be embarrassed about?"_

"_I'm not," Ichigo replied with a shake of his head, still running._

"_You're the one, who kissed me, so why am I running too?" she giggled._

_He turned to look at her with a small smile and bit his lower lip as he watched how her uniform was all wet and her hair stuck to the sides of her face in a most appealing way. He then redirected his face forwards with a smirk. "How long have we been friends, Orihime?"_

_She pulled the hand that was making her run after him and made them stop underneath the shade of a shop window. "You mean, how long has it been since you've noticed me this way?" She approached him and rested her chin on his chest while her lips grinned up at him._

_Ichigo was at loss of words for a moment but then began to smile back and lift his arms to wrap them around her. "Aa…"_

"_Well, let's see…" she whispered, taking a step back and putting on a pensive face with her right index on her chin. "Does it actually matter?"_

_He chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "Only this does, right?" He bent over and kissed her on her lips gently._

_Orihime giggled and then nodded. "And now, the whole world has seen you kiss me!"_

"_Eh? What do you mean—"_

_Ichigo turned to look at the shop window and saw his face displayed on maybe 15 different TV-screens. Each one of them was showing his perplexed face._

"_Nande—"he began and turned, but Orihime had already run off into the rain again, laughing her heart out as she did so._

"_Chotto matte!" he called after her, setting in the pursuit. "Just wait 'till I have my hands on you again!"_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

That day underneath the rain had been their first day as an official couple.

He remembered it like yesterday, because the days that followed were nothing but a pure bliss to him whenever she was around.

He remembered how she had laughed and laughed over the littlest of his antics and how he had taken a liking to kissing her right underneath her left ear and how she would always shiver and place her hand on the nape of his neck in silent encouragement.

He had laughed when she once told him that he was quite the cuddle-type when no one was around. The truth simply was that she made him feel.

That's what it was.

She made him feel.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"_Stay for dinner, Ichigo-kun!" she offered him on that night they would make love for the first time. "I'll make us something now that we're finished with that speech!"_

_He watched how she walked out of the room with a small smile and began to put his dictionaries and other books back into his school bag. _

_A few moments later she bounced back into the living room, wearing a black sleeveless top on her uniform skirt._

"_Ne, mite mite, Ichigo-kun!" she happily exclaimed, sitting herself back at the low table while she put her chest forward proudly. "Look at it!"_

_Ichigo smirked and gave her a questioning look. "You want me to look at your breasts?"_

_She blinked a few times in confusion and then giggled. "Baka ne! Read what the t-shirt says!"_

_He had gotten the message the first time, but acting silly around her had become one of his favourite pastimes. He knew for certain that he'd be capable of doing anything to have her smiling all the time._

"_Reserved Goodies," the t-shirt read, "Touch At Your Own Risk."_

_He laughed, "Too bad you didn't wear that at school today."_

"_I didn't want to make others jealous," Orihime innocently whispered with a childish grin. "It was already hard enough to keep interested guys and girls away this senior year… more than during any other year actually. And I'm not even counting in Chizuru-chan!"_

_Ichigo slid down on the floor next to her and took her in his arms. "And you think that a simple t-shirt will ward them off?"_

"_No," She replied seductively, leaning into him, "I have my ass kicking boyfriend for that."_

"_Oh?" he chuckled, "So what's the t-shirt for?"_

_She shrugged and then giggled as he planted a playful kiss in her neck. "It's for exposing goods people can look at, but never EVER touch." She kissed him back on his cheek._

"_Not even your most dedicated boyfriend?"_

"_Hmm…" Orihime thought about it for a few seconds and then giggled with a shrug. "We could make an exception…"_

"_I thought you didn't want to make any jealous?"_

"_Oi," Orihime reprimandingly spoke, now turning herself around in his arms and moving to straddle him, "give a girl a couple of pleasures here!"_

_Ichigo laughed and pulled her with him on the floor before rolling them over so he was on top. "I'll do better than that."_

_Orihime chuckled and raised a sceptic eyebrow. "Oh?"_

"_Oh yes…" Ichigo now nuzzled her in his throat. "I'll BE the pleasure!"_

_Her laughing voice had resounded throughout the small apartment room from then on, occasionally altered by soft moans and whispers of intimate delight while they took their relationship to a whole new level._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

His eyes snapped open as those eerie black and amber eyes doomed up in his mind again, making him realise that he had fallen asleep while reminiscing. He could feel that there was a new Hollow active in town, and his eyes fell on the Shinigami Badge that lay next to the hairpins on his night table.

"_Just go protect the innocent. I'll be here."_

He didn't deserve to be called a Shinigami; it was a joke and he was the only one who hadn't noticed.

Ichigo turned around in his bed and buried his face into his pillow, hitting his right fist into the mattress.

"Orihime…!"

* * *

"Tch… this has become a serious pain in the ass if you ask me, because what you're saying is just unheard of! Never in history has this happened before!" 

Urahara silently sighed and picked up his cup of tea from the low table in the living room of his shop. He had called for an urgent meeting with Ichigo's friends to share the news of the recent happenings with them.

"Urahara-san," Renji continued on. "If what you're saying is true, then—"

"What I still don't understand is _how_," Rukia pensively spoke, sitting against a wall. "I thought you said you were to perform the extraction this afternoon?"

"We never got the chance to get that far," Urahara answered.

"When Urahara-san and I went into the room to how Tessai was doing with the preparations," Jinta softly spoke, "we found Inoue-san convulsing violently on her futon. That's when Urahara-san told me to go get Ichigo. When he and I came back, the Hollow was carrying Inoue-san in his arms through a rip he created in the room."

"How did that Hollow manage to escape from Ichigo's unconscious anyway?" Renji asked with a completely confused expression on his face.

"Materialization?" Rukia wondered.

"When I found Ichigo," the redheaded boy whispered uneasily, "he had fallen asleep in the tub. He must've been very exhausted from the training…"

"And the Hollow took advantage of that," Rukia concluded.

"Urahara-san," Uryuu quietly said, "Is she under the influence of the baby or is she under some kind of a spell the Hollow cast on her?"

Urahara shook his head and closed his eyes. "If she was but under a spell, I don't think it would be that powerful that it even changed an aspect of her external appearance."

"Don't forget we're talking about Ichigo's Hollow here, if Ichigo himself sucks at Kidoh, I don't think his Hollow is any better." Renji mockingly said.

"Like you're any better…" Rukia rolled her eyes.

"So," Urahara continued, "I must conclude that it must be the child that she carries within her that has a grip on her. The Hollow will most definitely profit from this."

"So then, Inoue-san will become a Hollow?" Chad asked; dread sounding through in his low voice.

"We don't know for sure," the blond man answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "But that Hollow did more than just impregnate her."

"I never would've thought that it would come back to this again…" Rukia whispered with a quivering smile on her face. "I can't imagine how Ichigo must feel." She sighed and looked up at Renji as she felt his comforting hand on her thigh.

Renji then smiled at her softly. "These must be tormenting moments for him but, I know that if we are to break into Hueco Mundo once more to save Inoue again, I'm game."

Rukia smiled back at him and then turned to Urahara. "We'll work Ichigo extra hard starting tomorrow so he can rapidly recover his powers and we can go save Inoue."

A pensive expression fell over the blond man's features before he sighed in silent disappointment. "I had hoped that that wouldn't have been the case."

"What do you mean?"

"By keeping him from interfering earlier, I hoped to unlock something within him; something that would give him enough strength to break free from my restraint spell and safe Inoue-san, but—"

Renji frowned. "So then, you let Inoue-san get abducted?"

"Renji!" Rukia whispered.

"Urahara-san…" Uryuu whispered, "You wanted to give Kurosaki a chance at saving her."

"Another plan that backfired rather badly," Urahara whispered with a small smirk. "So now we have to find a way to unlock these powers within Kurosaki-san in order to save Inoue-san."

"Naruhodo…" Chad said, "It's best if we take Ichigo with us so not to break his pride."

Rukia nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"Yoruichi-san went to the Soul Society this afternoon so she could ask Captain Ukitake if there are any records, of what we are witnessing here, in the Grand Library," Urahara informed. "That way we could use any information that she comes back with to incorporate in our plan. You mustn't forget that Hollows are much, much stronger in Hueco Mundo than on Earth."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Does Ichigo know about what you've just told us?" Uryuu wondered.

Urahara shook his head. "Considering all the hell he's been through lately, I found it appropriate to tell it to him tomorrow, when I'll be certain that he's had the time to turn the rage he feels for Orihime's disappearance into a new source of determination for his fight against that Hollow."

"What if he gets depressed instead?" Chad asked him with a quirked eye brow. "It wouldn't be the first time that happened."

The shop owner cracked a smile. "No, it wouldn't and that is exactly why I'm certain he'll be determined more than ever to fight his Hollow."

Rukia nodded in agreement. "He knows that wallowing in self pity isn't going to bring her back."

"Boy," Renji said, leaning with his right elbow on the table as he eyed her from underneath his eyelids. "You sure are putting a lot of trust in that whiner. I bet you he's moping, right now as we speak."

"Nonetheless," Rukia said with confidence, "He'll get over it, because that's the kind of guy he is."

Urahara nodded silently with a smile.

Renji groaned. "Geez, I wish you had that much faith in me too!"

The black haired Shinigami laughed and took off the hand her friend still had on her thigh. "That's because I know what kind of guy _you_ are!"

Renji turned red at that and slowly turned his eyes in the direction of the others who suddenly all found their interest in their nearly emptied cups of tea.

"It's this gigai! Not me! I can't help it if I can't get it u—"

"You know, Abarai-san, if you're having a hard time controlling you're little –ahem– _problem_," Urahara whispered from behind his fan, "I have just the cure for that in the back of my store—"

No one was able of keeping his laughter in after that and it was with a very embarrassed and angered expression on his face that the red haired Shinigami stormed his way out of the Shoten while the sounds of laughter sounded through the night.

* * *

Without making a single sound, her feet stepped through the narrow rip that had created itself in the darkened room. She briefly looked around herself in silent wonder, not understanding how she managed to find herself here. 

_Ichigo's room…_

There was no doubt about it; she recognised his closet, his desk and his empty bed.

Her eyes fell on something on Ichigo's bedside cabinet that glistened in the pale light of the moon that shone through the opened curtains. She walked over to it and sat herself down on the bed, turning the bedside lamp on.

A small smile grew on her lips as she looked at her hairclips with a mixture of incomprehension and confusion on her face. _When did I ever lose them…? Why can't I remember—_

The sound of the door opening had her startled and she gasped softly as she saw Ichigo walking into his room, busy rubbing his hair dry and not seeing her sitting there on his bed. He obviously had just taken a shower; his wet, firm body was clad in nothing but a towel that hung loosely around his hips.

Their eyes met not even a second later and she could see the undeniable surprise in his eyes that soon was replaced by a small, uncertain smile. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, she could tell.

Orihime stood silently and smiled reassuringly, "Ichigo…"

The last thing she remembered was that after she had taken the Nishi no Komichi, she ran and ran for what seemed hours before a blinding light hit her and then she suddenly found herself here.

Ichigo closed his eyes and opened them again, he wasn't dreaming, was he? Was she really here? "Douyatte…?"

She scratched the back of her head and grinned, "I don't know…? There was this ultra long road and then a white light fell on me and then—"

"Road…?"

Orihime nodded determinately, "Yeah, and Sora was there too—"

Ichigo shot her a confused look and cocked his head to the side in utter non-understanding, wondering if she perhaps hit her head or something of that kind. "Orihime… Your brother—"

"Is dead, I know!" She said, agreeing completely with him. "But I was in this interior world and he came to me!"

Ichigo couldn't handle the growing confusion now and shook his head to keep her from saying another word. "What about the Hollow?"

"Hollow…?" she echoed with a blank expression, before looking around herself quickly, "Did he attack again?"

He only gave her a wondering look and then approached her to halt right in front of her. "You don't remember?" He placed a hand on her left shoulder and sighed out in silent relief. If she wasn't a ghost then…

_Is this really you, Orihime?_

"Remember what?" Orihime questioned softly, looking up at him with her big honey brown eyes as he pulled her closer with his left hand on the small of her back. "Ichigo?"

"You're not pregnant anymore, have you noticed?" Ichigo suddenly whispered, making her take a step back to look at herself. "Where have you been, Orihime?"

Orihime placed her hands on her lower abdomen and frowned slightly. "I… I was in my interior world and I had to choose between these three paths. I chose one and I got here… But why—?" She looked up at him again, her eyes reflecting incomprehension,"—did Urahara-san abort my pregnancy? Did we lose the baby?"

"He told me he tried, but that he got interrupted while doing so, Hime…"

At her questioning expression Ichigo began telling her what happened in the outer world and how he had thought to never see her again.

"He took me into Hueco Mundo?" She whispered. They were now both sitting on his bed. "But I'm here and I don't remember seeing him again after— Do you think he has our baby?"

"What would he possibly do with a 6 month old foetus?"

Orihime looked down and sighed out softly; "What is going on?"

Ichigo smiled a little and shook his head. He couldn't care less about what was happening, all he knew now was that she was here with him, apparently alive and well. "We can figure out what happened tomorrow. I don't think he'll be making a move anytime soon."

She looked into his soft brown eyes and returned his smile with one of her own, realising that he must've been shattered when he witnessed her abduction of earlier that day and that he needed to be comforted and set at ease. "Ichigo…"

"I can't express how glad I am to have you back…" He whispered, closing his eyes at the hand she placed against his left cheek. He couldn't let his insecurities tell him otherwise now; she smelled, talked and looked like the Orihime he knew. The appeasing warmth of her embrace convinced him enough for now.

"I never left… You were always with me…" She whispered, scooting closer to him and bringing her face near to his, rubbing the tip of their noses together. "I'm here now."

"Hime…"

Their lips met in a gentle kiss, his hands moving to rest on her waist, expressing the need to have her next to him and to feel the warmth of her body.

Her moan vibrated against his lips and she moved herself to straddle him, never breaking the kiss while she hiked the fabric of her white yukata up a little. His tongue tentatively brushed against hers and she gasped, arching her neck at his hands that crept up her thighs and caressed their way up her back and slowly pulled the robe off her shoulders.

Orihime whispered his name and brought her head back; feeling her body shiver at the wet kisses Ichigo caressed underneath her right ear in a sensual pattern towards her chest. She could feel him pressing against her now through the fabric of his towel and she moaned again, biting her lower lip as his exploring lips pushed her yukata further and further off her left breast.

He could see the erected nipple press through the thin fabric of her robe and moved in again, pushing the yukata out of the way.

"Mmm…!" Her fingers were threading through the soft spikes of his hair, needing something to hold on to with the pleasure that coursed through her body with every sultry lick of his warm tongue. "Ichigo…"

Ichigo retreated from her breast and brought his lips up to hers once more, drinking in her heated responses and enjoying the slight movements of her hips against his as she searched for that thing only he could procure to her.

The piece of clothing now completely slid off her shoulders and he reached for the sash that kept it wrapped around her body and untied the knot, unveiling the body of his one and only goddess.

She clung to him as he laid her down onto the bed, moving in to enmesh their lips again in a deep kiss, her body shivering at the overwhelming feeling of his loving embrace. "Hime…" he whispered, marvelled by her responsiveness and loving how her chest heaved up and down as she gasped her pleasure while he kissed his way down her stomach and over the soft rounding of her lower belly and onto the mount of her womanhood.

Orihime bit down hard on her lower lip to prevent herself from screaming it out when he pressed a loving kiss against her most sensitive spot. Her legs were shivering from the anticipation and she brought a trembling hand to rest on his head, silently urging him to continue the heavenly treatment he was giving her.

Ichigo smiled gently and his gaze met with her longing one before he closed his eyes and let his tongue dart out for a taste of her personal honey.

Her thighs drew together reflexively and she arched her back, letting go of the scream she desperately had tried to hold back earlier. "Ichigo-kun!"

He continued to work his lips and tongue against her, making sure that her hips remained firmly on the mattress and that not a single drop of her sweet juices went to waste.

"Oh… Kami-sama…!" she whimpered, throwing her head to the side when a shot of arousal rippled down her spine and straight into that place he was licking up and down and up again…

"So sweet…" Ichigo whispered against her, giving her a last lingering lick before grinning up at her by pleasure taken face. He then pulled away slightly and sat on his knees in front of her, reaching out to her hips so he could coax her to turn over on her stomach.

Orihime tried to look over her shoulder to see where he had gone, feeling a little nervous as to what he was going to do to her now. "Ichigo…?" her small trembling voice sounded in the dim darkness. She couldn't feel him behind her anymore and was just about to turn around when she saw his right hand turn off the bedside lamp, plunging the room in a moonlit darkness. "Ich—?"

The sound of fabric hitting the floor was then heard and a strong hand slid around her waist, exerting gentle pressure on her abdomen so her hips lifted off the bed to grant him better access.

"Aah…!" She cried out, her hands fisting into the fabric of the pillow below her. His tip began to slip into her, making tentative thrusting motions to help her relax and get used to his size.

Ichigo bit his lower lip and concentrated on keeping his movements as painless as possible for her. "Hime…" he whispered with a small wince, the feeling of his manhood sliding into her moist warmth generating an overwhelming pleasurable feeling. "Stay with me…" he then murmured soothingly after she had gasped loudly now that he had sheathed himself deeply within her, sensing her body quivering from the overdose of erotic stimuli that coursed through her.

"Da-Dame…!" Orihime whimpered, resting her left cheek on the pillow as her tears of sexual delight rolled out of her eyes, feeling like her body wouldn't be able to bear the next dose of pleasure. "I-I-Ichigo… oh!"

Ichigo bent over her and pressed open mouth kisses the long her spine. "Shhh… daijoubou… I'm here, Hime…"

"Please…" Orihime murmured with her eyes tightly closed, unable to keep her passionate moans and whimpers from escaping her slightly parted lips, "No m-more…!"

"It's ok…" Ichigo whispered in an assuasive manner, holding himself from plunging in and out of her in a frantic rhythm. She felt so good around him and he briefly wished that they could stay like this forever. Her gasping moans and high pitched breathing only made him want her more, the way she called his name rendering him crazy with burning desire.

With her, he had discovered that he could be himself completely without having to keep himself in or show a tough side that just wasn't him.

He understood now what it meant to love someone without restraint. It was that feeling deep in his guts that made him sick when she wasn't around, the way his heart beat faster when she laughed, touched or simply looked at him. That urge that continuously needed to be satisfied with a kiss, soft words or a meaningful look, a yearning to be with her every single moment of the day, for her to be the first person he saw in the morning and the last in the evening.

It was the realisation that she was the one who would share his joy, his pain and his life no matter what until the dream of their shared passion would be but a treasured memory in the next life.

The words of his father echoed in his mind and he smiled silently at the surprising wisdom his old man had expressed during one of his sober moments.

"_When that day will come, in which you'll find the cap that fits on your bottle, you won't realise it at first, but with time, you'll come to know…"_

"Ichigo!" Orihime arched her back, one of her lover's hands creeping lower from its position on her abdomen before arriving at the apex of her thighs to play with her sensitive bud.

Ichigo felt her push back now, although shyly, her passionate responses drowning his small room into a heated sensual atmosphere. He grinned in satisfaction as one of her hands joined his between her legs, the pace of their lovemaking quickening now with every stroke of their joined hands.

"My precious Hime…" She was close and he could feel it, her walls were already beginning to contract around his manhood spasmodically. "Issho ni…?"

Orihime had no breath to answer and simply nodded her head, whimpering softly as he removed their hands from her womanhood and slid them up her body until they grabbed onto her right breast.

With his other hand pressed against her lower abdomen, he urged her to kneel upright so she could lean with the back of her head against one of his shoulders and he could add more speed and depth to his strokes while he let his now free left hand roam over her body, knowing that he was nearing the limits of his control but still wanting for her to reach that coveted summit with him.

She felt like she was touching the sky, the pleasurable sensation that flowed through her now reaching its peak. Her body shattered beautifully into her orgasm and she felt him grunt her name against her skin scant seconds before she cried out again at the searing heat that suddenly flooded her insides.

They both collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily in the afterglow of their intimate lovemaking, cuddling their sweaty bodies close to each other while a mood of mutual satisfaction lingered in the air.

Orihime smiled softly when she felt him press a gentle kiss on her right shoulder, lifting her right arm to grab onto the arm that was spooning her against him. "Never in my wildest fantasies did I dream of you doing what you just did to me…"

Ichigo smirked and brushed a lock of her hair behind her right ear, nuzzling her neck lovingly after he had planted another soft kiss there. "I'm a man of many surprises…?"

She chuckled and intertwined their fingers, bringing them up to her lips to kiss them.

"Though I must admit," Ichigo whispered, "that you're not much of a prude either, eh?"

The young woman blushed a little and smiled, "Yeah well, you started it."

Ichigo laughed and buried his nose in her damp hair, feeling endlessly grateful to have her back next to him and in his arms. She was the only place in the entire world where he felt truly safe.

Orihime closed her eyes and sighed deeply with a happy grin. Being near him still made her insides all giddy and she found herself oppressing a content giggle.

They laid like that for what seemed hours and soon she felt his regular breathing hit her neck, indicating that he had fallen asleep already. She carefully turned herself to face him and leant onto her left elbow so she could run her right hand fingers over his handsome features.

A single, red tear found its way out of her right eye and she sobbed silently before wiping it away quickly.

_This was exactly how I wished to say goodbye to you, Ichigo-kun._

"Arigatou…" she bent over and kissed his lips. A serene smile then formed on her lips and she turned, stood up and picked up the yukata that lay on the floor next to the bed. She clad herself with it and then turned to him a last time.

_All of this will be but a dream to you come morning, my love… but it's better for both of us to not give you a too big feeling of ease… _

She brought her right hand up to her face and watched how her nails turned black and began to grow. She hugged herself in order to hide them and took a few steps back, her eyes shedding more tears of scarlet.

_This is only the beginning, Ichigo, and you still have a long way to go… I'm sorry things went this way…_

"Until next time we'll meet, anata…"

And with that she began to fade away until a cloud of black smoke engulfed her and she completely disappeared.

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List 

-Aa: Yes/ Yeah

-Anata: You (My love)

-Arigatou: Thank you

-Baka: Idiot

-Chotto Matte: Wait a second

-Daijoubou: It's okay

-Dame: Stop

-Doushite: Why?

-Douyatte: How?

-Gigai: Artificial Body

-Hai: Yes

-Issho ni: Together

-Mite: Look

-Nande/Nani: What

-Naruhodo: I see

-Nishi no Komichi: Path of the West

-Ichi-nii: Brother Ichi(go)

-Ne: an Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'So', 'Well', 'And?', 'Hey' or 'No?', depending on its position in the phrase

-Shoten: Shop

-Teme: You (bastard)

-Yukata: A lighter version of a kimono, used as a bathrobe here.

_**Whoa, that was a lot of work! Phew, I hope I did well! Thank you for the wonderful responses everyone! Let's hope this story will continue to catch your attention. **_

_**This was kind of a filler chapter, but I do advice you to look out for the next one if you want to see the explosive confrontation that is coming up! **_

_**Mata ne!** _

_Next Week **(04-08-07)**: 7. Path to Redemption – The Sacrifice _

_To Be Continued… _

**_-BDP- _**


	7. The Sacrifice

* * *

7. Path to redemption - The sacrifice

* * *

Her footsteps echoed in the large empty hall.

"You've returned."

Orihime looked up at the man sitting in front of her at the bottom of the steps leading up to the higher apartments of Las Noches' Northern Tower.

Hollow Ichigo stood and let his eyes run over her body, looking for signs of struggle. "He was already asleep then?"

"Hai," she whispered, beginning to walk passed him and up the stairs.

He followed her with his amber gaze and then smirked. "Where did you dump it?"

She halted briefly in her steps and faced to her side before resuming the climb towards her quarters. "That is none of your concern."

Once arrived inside the room she had made her own to stay in, Orihime took off her red ankle boots and walked to her large bed. She could feel that he was following her and so, wasn't surprised when he sat himself in one of her seats in the living area of her room.

She sat herself down on her bed and crossed her legs as she fixed him silently.

In the three days that she had been made a forced resident of this cold castle, their conversations had quickly worn off against the one-sided feelings of resentment she had towards him, not that he blamed her, it rather amused him to see her harden herself in her shell of bitter contempt. Just the thought of it being useless almost made him break down in uncontrollable laughter.

A chamber maid walked in quietly and sat herself next to her on the bed so she could begin to tie Orihime's hair back into a bun.

He grinned as he saw how she stood and began to undress herself slowly. Her voluptuous body had no secrets for him anymore, but that still didn't keep him from admiring its beauty.

Orihime sat back down on her bed now, clad in nothing but an expensive looking white yukata with black flower patterns and a slight trail. It was loosely tied at her waist with a black obi and revealed the alluring path of white skin from the valley between her breasts to the middle of her abdomen.

"Was there something you wanted me to know?"

The maid now retreated silently with the pile of Orihime's clothes in her hands.

Hollow Ichigo stood and slowly walked up to her. "You seem… how shall I put it... unhappy, dear."

She turned her face away from his and stood gracefully. "And you're the one surprised," she whispered sarcastically, her bare feet descending the few steps off the platform her bed rested upon. "Spare me the heartbreak."

He cocked his head to the side with an evil grin on his face. "It's remarkable how much you still seem to be attached to that two-time loser."

Orihime turned to him again and chuckled mockingly. "Is mister bad-ass jealous?"

He was suddenly standing in front of her again and one of his hands shot out to her throat. "Don't get witty with me, Hime. I made you, I could easily destroy you."

She fixed him defiantly with no sign of emotion on her face and whispered; "And what a relief that would be if you actually did it, instead of constantly threatening me about it."

He slapped her in her face hard, sending her flying back on the bed. He smirked then as he watched her regain her composure, one hand held up against her left cheek as she sat up and fixed him again with that same indifference in her eyes. "Don't go begging for death, or I might get tempted, Hime-chan."

Orihime lowered her hand from her cheek and shook the strands of hair that had come to cover her face out of her eyes. "You can't scare me anymore with threats," she whispered. "There's nothing left for me to gain or lose, you've taken everything from me." She stood up again and walked passed him once more towards the room that neighboured with hers. "Death is the only thing I look forward to."

Hollow Ichigo chuckled and captured her left hand, holding her back from going onwards. "Do you really think death is the worse thing that I can inflict upon you?"

She sighed and smiled softly. "Not the worst, but the kindest."

He began to laugh and she looked up at him in silent wonder. "I never thought I'd see this side of you, Hime… do you have any idea how selfish that sounded?"

Orihime fell silent and cast her eyes to the floor in shame. She knew he was right, but if she wasn't around anymore she wouldn't be able to hurt _him_…

"How broken would Ichigo be if he came to find out that you rushed into death! Is your trust in him that low?" He cackled, "If I kill you, I admit it would speed up my plans, but what would that bring me? Ichigo wouldn't be able to fight me and the fights I've been looking out for will be but a joke! I want him to get mad, I want him to go crazy now that he's lost his most beloved bitch, and I want to see him break down in utter defeat when he'll realise that there's no hope left and when you and I bring destruction upon him!" He then cupped her face with his right hand in a nearly tender gesture. "Now, I will forgive your suicidal rant because that was still the old Orihime speaking, the weak one. The new Orihime will embrace my plans and become a willing partner—"

"You may own my soul now," she pushed his hand off from her face and blinked back her tears, "but you'll never, _ever_ own my feelings!" She walked off again with that.

"Hime-chan," Hollow Ichigo whispered in a sing-song voice as he watched her walk towards her private baths. "Next time you go see him again without my permission, I'll kill everyone you held dear in your life. One by one."

Orihime halted in her footsteps and took a shaky breath.

"And if you try and leave me, I'll slit his throat in his sleep. Am I making myself clear?"

She closed her eyes and bent her head.

"I _said_, am I making myself fuckin' clear?"

"Yes…" she whispered, balling her hands up in fists. "Crystal clear."

"Good," he said with a grin and an acknowledging movement of his head. "Be sure to be rested up for tomorrow, it'll be your big day."

Orihime opened her eyes and waited for him to get out of her room. She then fell to her knees, trembling violently.

There wasn't much time left and she did not know how much longer she'd be able to control the monster that housed within her. It grew stronger with every passing hour and soon—

She crawled herself into a foetus position on the floor and held on to her stomach, praying for someone to give her a miracle.

* * *

An explosion of white light illuminated the entire underground training area.

Focusing the full of his reiatsu into his sword, Ichigo could feel how Zangetsu vibrated in his hands and how in turn, lend him its strength to complement his own.

A new surge of energy emanated from the young orange haired Shinigami and Renji and Urahara watched with heartfelt astonishment at the clearly renewed power Ichigo had managed to attain.

Ichigo then opened his eyes and they both saw the silver flicker in them and felt the tremendous spirit pressure they were used of feeling whenever he was around.

Urahara cracked an approving smile and nodded.

"BAN-KAI!"

"He's done it," Rukia whispered from her position on a high rock near the ladder.

"How he's managed to realise that in just two days is pretty amazing." Uryuu nodded in consent, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"He must really love her," RinRin whispered, sitting on the picnic blanket with the three other modsouls as well as Tessai, Jinta and Ururu.

Rukia smiled and chuckled softly. "He told me he dreamt about her a couple of days ago and that he realised that even if she's physically far away from him, their hearts are always connected. He's mad about her and she loves him equally as much."

"If there's someone who can bring Inoue-san back, then it's him," Chad said, looking into the distance where Urahara and Renji stood with Ichigo.

"I agree," Rukia whispered with a smile.

"Let's go, Renji! I'm ready!"

Ichigo lifted his Tensa Zangetsu up to the other Shinigami and smiled. "Let's see if you can kill me this time!"

Renji smirked in growing excitement and released Zabimaru. "Show me what you got, Strawberry!"

Urahara watched with growing satisfaction how their swords clashed, smiling to himself.

Ichigo had finally managed to unlock his former latent powers, but he could still see that he still let too much of his spirit pressure slip into the air. If his attacks were to be fully effective and perhaps 3 times as strong as they were now, it would certainly be a great asset to his fighting skills. Urahara knew this would ask for more time from the young man, but he also knew that Ichigo would need all the extra advantages when he'd face his adversary in an all-out confrontation.

"Oi Renji!" Ichigo chuckled as he jumped out of the way of an attack. "Send your Bankai on me! What are you waiting for?"

Renji smirked and set in the pursuit, throwing Zabimaru towards Ichigo. "That would be a total waste of energy and you know it! I can beat your ass just fine this way!"

Ichigo laughed and off-handed Zabimaru's attack with a single strike, making a graceful back flip so he could land on his feet on a nearby rock. "What's the matter? You chicken, monkey boy?" he teased with a grin, pointing his black Katana to him. "Give me a frickin' challenge here!"

"Don't go crying after I whoop your sorry ass!" Renji mockingly said, moving himself into a new battle pose.

Ichigo positioned himself as well and returned Renji's smirk with one of his own. "Bring it on."

A sudden increase in hostile spirit pressure made the entire underground training area quiver on its foundations.

"What the—?"

Urahara turned towards the entrance of the cave and scowled. "They're here."

"A good Hollow is a dead one," Ichigo smirked darkly and cast his partner a look. "Let's go."

"That excited, eh?" Renji chuckled and followed him to the exit. "You could use the practice."

Rukia jumped off her rock and took out her Soul Phone. "Ichi, ni, san, shi, go— there's 8 of them! Gillians!"

Ichigo laughed in excitement at that and nodded. "Yosh! Minna, let's go!"

Urahara watched how Ichigo and his friends left the training grounds. He calmly walked towards his three employees and yawned and the mod souls. "Well I guess we could also go stretch our legs a little, ne?"

* * *

The lantern post fell right on the spot his feet had been a scant second before.

The blonde haired female Gillian softly smirked her pointed teeth bare and cocked her head to the side mockingly. "Where are you, pretty boy? Let me put my teeth in you, I bet you'll taste great…"Her green eyes flashed from side to side as she searched for her adversary who had suddenly disappeared.

"Up here!"

She looked up and evaded his attack but barely, noticing, once she landed a few meters further that a couple of centimetres of her long hair had been cut off. She laid her angry stare on Ichigo's smirking one. "You bitch!"

Ichigo hauled his shoulders innocently. "Woops, I missed?"

She launched herself at him and made a swirling movement of her head so she could throw her long hair at him, from which bone-white spikes shot out.

Ichigo jumped out of the line of fire and searched for the freedom of movement only an airborne position could procure. "Try this!"

By the time she realised that he had evaded her attack and that he was hovering in the air, she saw a black crescent descent upon her, consequently making it the last thing she ever saw.

"Yo, Ichigo."

He looked up ahead of him and saw Chad standing a few meters away from where the Arrancar had been, at a crossroad. "Urahara and his group are taking care of the nearest Gillian."

"How about the rest?" Ichigo asked as he descended from the sky and landed next to him.

"Uryuu defeated the one he battled not too long ago and I saw Renji taking care of another on my way here."

Ichigo nodded and concentrated on the remaining intruding spirit pressures, picking out the strongest one. "Rukia should be able to handle the one she's battling with ease as well. There are two more left, Chad. If you go take care of the other one I'll finish the last one."

Chad nodded and sped off in the opposite direction.

Jumping onto the rooftops so he could move more easily towards the place his senses were pointing, Ichigo could feel how the amount of hollow reiatsu decreased all around him, suddenly leaving him in a state of mild confusion when he realised that the Gillian he was headed to seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"'Kuso!" he cursed and stopped on top of a tall building to overlook the city.

"That's odd."

Ichigo turned and found Rukia standing next to him.

"It vanished?" She whispered and took out her Soul Phone. "Ah! There!"

"Doko?" He asked her impatiently.

"On the 4th bridge that tides over Karasu River!" She informed him and then watched how he sped off without another word.

"He's more determined than I thought he'd be, I must admit."

Rukia looked to her side and saw Renji landing next to her soundlessly. She nodded and crossed her arms over her chest with a small smirk. "I told you he would be."

"Still," Renji whispered, bringing his Zanpakuto back to its initial state, "this doesn't smell right."

Rukia shot him a confused look. "What?"

"It's like that time they kidnapped Inoue for the first time," he whispered pensively. "It's a diversion."

"The shop?" Rukia wondered alarmingly. "You think they've called us out for—?"

Renji turned and began to walk away. "Ichigo can handle that Gillian."

Rukia nodded in agreement and followed him off the rooftop.

* * *

With a soft grunt Ichigo looked around as he was now arrived at the bridge.

_There's no one here!_

"Damn it!" he cursed, stepping towards the middle of the bridge. He closed his eyes and tried to feel the Hollow's reiatsu again.

A large concentration of hostile reiatsu made him open his eyes again and he jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a cero blast.

Ichigo turned his eyes to the left and found the Gillian smirking up at him with his right hand still stretched out. "Oh crap. I missed."

A burning rage grew within Ichigo and he scowled at him. "I won't let you make that mistake again!"

"Then come and get me, Shinigami!" The grey haired Gillian chuckled, jumping off the bridge and landing on the surface of the water before running down the River at an amazing speed.

"Tch, stupid bastard," Ichigo whispered. "Not even worth wasting my energy on."

In three flash-steps he was in front of the surprised Gillian and in two movements of his blade he had decapitated him.

Ichigo swung his black blade to the side with a satisfied look on his face and was about to leave when he suddenly heard someone clapping his hands.

There, on the riverbank, sitting in the grass, was—

"You look well, Ichigo-kun."

He only stared for a full minute and even after that he still wasn't sure of what he was seeing.

"Douka shita no, Ichigo-kun? Have you seen a ghost?"

"Ori… hime?"

No.

Something was off.

Terribly off.

She gave him a small grin and her long black hair waved in the soft breeze that passed by as she now stood. Her eyes were of a blue-ish grey and she wore a short, black layered skirt with black knee-high boots and a strapless black leather corset. Her lower arms were clad in dark red arm warmers and her long nails were of the same colour as the rest of her gothic ensemble.

"What's wrong?" she asked again, taking a step closer to him and stepping onto the surface of the water without sinking through.

Ichigo felt like someone had just punched him in his stomach and ripped his heart out.

He could feel it with every fibre of his soul: this was a Hollow.

But why? Why had it taken _her _appearance?

"Ichigo-kuun?" she sang. "Say something! Aren't you happy to see me? I at least expected a kiss from my boyfr—"

"Shut up!" Ichigo cried, pointing his Zanpakuto at her. "You're not Orihime!"

A powerful reiatsu suddenly emanated from the creature that stood in front of him and he was blown off guard for a brief second from the peaks of sheer hatred that came his way and seemed to pierce through his soul.

She then giggled and spun around happily. "But of course I am, Ichigo-san!" she sweetly said with her hands on her back. "Nani itende yo?"

Ichigo growled in growing rage. "How dare you show yourself to me disguised like that?!" he yelled, feeling an uncontrollable urge to rip this creature apart.

She looked down at her clothes and frowned. "Oh? You don't like?"

"Quit playing those fucking games with me!" Ichigo hollered, his spirit force now swirling around him in fierce anger. "Where is Orihime?!"

Her smile lessened and she gave him a dark look. "Apparently your hearing is beginning to give out on you, Ichigo-kun…"

Ichigo gave an infuriated yell and shook his head. "Tell me or I'm going to fuckin' tear you apart!"

"Eh?" she cried, upset, "That's not very nice, Ichigo-ku—" Her phrase was kept hanging in the air as he suddenly launched himself at her.

Ichigo thrust his sword forward and was sure to pierce her through, but instead, hit a yellow barrier that kept him from approaching her any further.

"Santen Kesshun…?" he whispered in disbelieve and surprise. "But h-how?"

A malignant smirk began to grow on her lips and she jumped away from him. "Who else but Orihime has these powers?" she asked softly with a raised eyebrow.

_N-Nani…?! This can't be!_

"I am Inoue Orihime," she whispered, brushing a strand of her hair back. "Or at least the new and improved version…" She placed her right hand on her hip and bit her lower lip innocently. "That wasn't nice, Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo gritted his teeth and scowled, torn between trusting his eyes and his feelings or believing in his senses that told him that this creature was a Hollow and that if it was a Hollow that it wasn't possible that there was something left of the Orihime he knew…

But maybe—

"I'm not going to repeat myself endlessly, Hollow," he whispered, calmly lowering his sword and taking in a normal standing position, his eyes burning with the sheer force of his growing reiatsu as he looked at her. "Tell me where she is, or I'll stick Zangetsu through your chest."

She lifted her head to the side and looked at him from the corner of her eyes, her expression a façade of cold disdain. "Then you and I have the same problem, Ichigo-kun. I'm not planning on repeating myself endlessly either."

Ichigo silently took in his battling pose once more and lifted his Zanpakuto at shoulder length with the tip pointed at her. "Fine."

"Why won't you believe it?" she asked softly, showing no sign of eventually counter attacking. "Oh… I know," her lips curled into a minim smile and she closed her eyes in understanding. "You think I perhaps copied her powers or that I share similar ones like Hachi-san did."

Ichigo frowned at that. "How would you know about Hachi's—"

"Ok, now," she tranquilly whispered with a scowl, "You're beginning to piss me off."

Her hair slowly began to lift into the air around her and Ichigo watched in silent astonishment as her reiatsu reached unseen levels and a new wave of pure hatred shot his way, colliding violently against his surrounding wall of reiatsu.

"You're not Orihime," he whispered resolutely before launching himself towards her again in an all out attack.

She cracked a smirk and lifted her right arm. "Tsubaki," she whispered, "Koten Zanshun."

Ichigo pushed his blade forwards and closed his eyes, feeling Zangetsu cut through a tender substance.

"It's over."

Blood gushed out of the wound and onto his face, the metallic smell filling his nostrils. With a soft grunt he pulled out and stood.

His eyes then opened and he froze.

"Ok, I'll admit that you looked cool in that pose, but this is far from over, yo!"

Ichigo was staring at nothing but air; she wasn't standing there! But he cut something didn't he? H-How did she manage to get behind him all of a sudden?!

A stinging pain then suddenly took over his right thigh and he watched in horror as blood gushed from his torn up flesh.

_W-What?_

He fell on his left knee and held back a pained growl. With some difficulty he turned himself around to see her call back the black projectile that had just cut him.

"What's your astonished face for?" she asked with a sinister chuckle. "I've been here all this time."

His eyes spread wide open.

_Genkaku_…

She laughed a little and turned her head to the small projectile floating next to her in the air. "I'm not satisfied after all. He's not bleeding that much. You want to try again, Tsubaki-kun?" Her eyes rested on Ichigo again, a malignant gleam in them. "Though this time make him bleed much, much more."

Ichigo stood on his feet again, readily pointing his Zanpakuto on her. "You won't fool me this time!"

"Whatever," she giggled and shrugged. "Tsubaki, Hanshoku!"

Before he even got a chance at lifting his Tensa Zangetsu, his body was already being assaulted from all sides, his clothes and skin tearing apart as if someone was firing an ultra-sonic machine gun on him.

She lifted an arm and the attack suddenly stopped, leaving the orange haired Shinigami trembling on his legs as he was bleeding from every possible part of his body, his shredded clothing barely recognisable.

"That's more like it."

Ichigo fell on his knees, breathing heavily as he felt his body beginning to give out on him. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing and he stood there, looking to the ground in profound shock.

_This isn't happening! How could she beat me this easily?_

"Anzuru na, Ichigo-kun."

He looked up at her and saw her approaching him before she kneeled in front of him with a small smirk. "I'm not going to kill you. That's not why I came here today."

Ichigo's vision was beginning to blur and his breathing became more laboured from the increasing pain he felt of his injuries. "O-Orihime…" he managed to breathe out, "Doushite…?"

"Why? Why?!" She laughed, lifting his chin up with a finger as his head began to lean forwards. "Why what? Why am I like this?"

Ichigo looked her in the eyes and for a moment he thought he saw his Orihime before him, smiling gently and lovingly at him. "Hime…"

"I'm like this because of you, Ichigo…" she whispered softly, bringing her face closer to his, her lips nearly caressing his. "You _let_ me become like this... Every particle of my Reitai feels this urge," she let her tongue dart out against his right cheek, licking the blood that trickled down from a cut, "this huge urge to rip you apart with my hands and feed upon you to satisfy the endless emptiness you've created within me, Ichigo."

"Orihime…" Ichigo whispered as he felt how his heart filled itself with a deep grief.

"If only you listened when I told you to leave me alone…" Her voice was playing sensually against his left earlobe, "If only you listened then, then I wouldn't have become like this." She chuckled softly at the sound of his hawking and trembling breathing. "Oh yeah… this one is on you, Ichigo…"

Ichigo let his eyes fall closed and winced, feeling what he had secretly dreaded all along.

This creature used to be his Orihime.

Orihime pulled back with an expressionless face and watched how he gritted his teeth and bent his head to hide the tears that fell down his cheeks.

"If only I was strong enough back then…" Ichigo whispered, "if only I had protected you the way I should've..." He raised his head up to hers again and lifted his bloodied right hand, placing it on her left cheek. "Gomen ne, Hime…"

Something broke within her at the sound of those heartfelt words and she gasped with her eyes wide open in confusion. "The…fuck…?"

Ichigo saw how her big depths of coldness suddenly began to water up. The tears overflowed and they rolled down her face, changing into drops of blood as they continued to fall. The icy blue of her eyes then briefly faded into a honey brown colour and she gasped once more before she blinked and lifted a hand over the one he held against her face. "Ori—"

"Get your hands away from me!" She cried, jumping away from him. Her feet landed on the surface of the water again and she raised her hands up to her face in utter incomprehension of what was happening. "Why does it—" she whispered before crying out and clutching to her chest in pain.

Ichigo planted Tensa Zangetsu in the ground and managed to stand on his feet. He knew exactly what was going on; he had experienced it so many times before.

"Orihime! Don't let it gain control!" he called to her, "Fight it!"

She fell down to her knees, trembling uncontrollably and gasping for air. "S-Stay away!"

He only continued his way towards her until he reached her and then fell on his knees in front of her.

The brown colour of her eyes had returned and he smiled in relief, raising one of his hands to cup her face. "You're still fighting it…" he whispered, his lips quivering slightly. "Hime…"

The trembling of her body had subsided a little and she looked up at him with a pained expression. "Ichi…go… anata…"

"It _is_ you…" He softly said, letting Zangetsu fall next to him on the surface. "Orihime…"

Orihime broke down in more tears. "Ichigo… I'm lost…" she whimpered as he moved in to embrace her. "Lost in the dark…"

Ichigo held her to him tightly, despite his wounds and pressed his lips on her head. "I'll find a way to bring you back—"

She shook her head and sniffled, bringing her arms up his back to hold him to her. "Ichigo… It's too late…" she softly whispered. "My Reitai has begun to fuse with the hollow essence he had put in my body…"

Ichigo was shaking his head in response, not wanting to hear it. "There must be a way—"

"Ichigo," she silenced him again, looking at him now. "It's a part of me, as much as your Hollow is—"

"Don't say things like these, Hime," Ichigo could feel his eyes stinging again as they prepared for the new wave of tears that threatened to well up.

"It's the truth," Orihime said with a small trembling smile. "He can't exist without you, as much as you can't exist without him. The same goes for the Hollow in me… A fusion of two spirit entities can and should never be dissolved…"

"W-What are you talking about…?"

Fresh tears rolled out of her eyes as she gave him a pleading look. "Ichigo… you have to find a way to reclaim him, otherwise you'll die!"

Ichigo only stared at her for a few moments, his brain not willing to let the facts sink in.

"It's part of his plan…" she continued calmly, "A soul split in half has a short life span if it's pushed to its limit for too long. Your Bankai-form drains a lot of reiatsu and it shortens your life! Can't you see? He knows that if you die, he'll die too, but a part of him already exists in me! It's a fight you can't win, unless you manage to subdue him for once and for all… and kill me."

"No…nonono...!" Ichigo held her to him again and closed his eyes. "I must find—"

Orihime chuckled softly despite her tears and shut her eyes, breathing in the soft sandalwood scent of his hair. "Mou ii yo, Ichigo-kun…" she whispered, pressing herself up to him. "Souten Kisshun."

He could feel how a warm glow spread itself all over his body and how the pain he felt began to disappear. She was healing all of his wounds with the sheer force of her soul.

"I reject."

Ichigo suddenly found himself in his regular Shinigami form and Zangetsu was strapped against his back. "Orihime…?"

"Forgive me, Ichigo-kun," she whispered, moving away to face him. "I can't have you drain all of your life force yet."

"I will save you, Hime. I promise you that I will," Ichigo whispered back, biting on his lower lip to keep it from trembling.

"I know you'll be the one, Ichigo… It's the path I've chosen and it's how it was meant to be…" she whispered with a small smile. "Please don't feel bad. Know that loving you and being with you was the best thing that happened to me. If I get a chance to return in this World of the Living again, let's fall in love all over again, ne? You've made me so happy, Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo was crying now as he shook his head violently, refusing what was happening. "Mou yamero, Orihime…!"

A flash of white lightening then hit in between them, barely a second after she had pushed him away from her.

They both looked towards the bridge and found a familiar eying Shinigami standing there with her right middle finger pointed out towards them.

"Rangiku-san!" Ichigo whispered, now lying on his back on the riverbank.

Rangiku then jumped off the bridge before appearing by his side a second later. "Are you alright?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked, still surprised by her presence. "Has Yoruichi-san returned…?"

"That can wait," the vice-captain of the 10th squad replied, still eying Orihime with a scowl. "I've found him, taichou!" She then spoke into the emitter she kept underneath the left fowl of her kimono. Next she unsheathed her Zanpakuto. "Howl, Haine—"

"Rangiku-san! No!" Ichigo cried out, reaching out to her and grabbing her hands. "Don't!"

The blonde haired woman looked at him in mild confusion. "What are you doing? This is an Arrancar—"

"Look at her," Ichigo whispered.

Orihime took a shaky step back before falling on one knee and holding on to her wounded right arm. She was trembling feverishly and sweat was trickling down the side of her face. "Ichigo… please, hear me out."

He let go of Rangiku and rushed to her. "Hime," he took her in his arms, "I'm here."

Rangiku tilted her head to the side and took a step closer. "Orihime-chan…?" She whispered, recognising the woman lying in Ichigo's lap.

"H-hey, Rangiku-san…" Orihime shakily whispered with a wavering smile. She then looked up at Ichigo and reached out to touch his face. "Please… get stronger. The Hollow—" her breath caught in her throat as she was trying her best to keep her Demon from coming out for just a little bit longer. "He's taken in Aizen's throne in H-Hueco Mundo… and he's so— so determined to destroy you… and this world…He's formed a new army of left over Arrancars… a-and Menos… Please get stronger, Ichigo, so you can kill me when the time comes."

"This isn't happening…" Ichigo whispered softly, seeing the flickers of dark blue in her eyes. "Hime…"

"Onegai…" Orihime said with a trembling smile, "I've already died… endless darkness is around me and I'm lost. But I don't blame you, anata…" She pressed her lips against his in a final kiss and tasted the bitterness of their mingled tears. "Be my knight in shining armour and save me again… just this last time…"

"Orihime…!" he sobbed, holding on to her face as he kissed her back desperately. This time there was another form of pain that tore through him like no blade had ever done before.

The pain of a broken heart.

"Forgive me, Ichigo," Orihime murmured once more against his lips, looking into his eyes a last time before she took a deep breath and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

"Orihime-chan…" Rangiku whispered with a sorrowful expression on her face. "So Kurotsuchi- taichou was right…"

Ichigo simply sat there on his knees, now blankly staring at the bottom of the river with his arms still held in the same position in which they had been holding Orihime just a couple of moments before.

Rangiku closed her eyes and averted her face. "Kurosaki…I'm sorry…"

_Is this how it feels like…?_

Orihime was never going to come back.

"Oh God…" he shakily whispered, bending his head. _So your agenda is finally becoming clear, you bastard… _

Ichigo stood and simply walked away, feeling no urge whatsoever to hear what Rangiku was doing here. He was angry, sad and vengeful. A combination of emotions he knew proved itself to be extremely destructive when he was around people and for now he would deeply appreciate any form of isolation.

"_Ichigo-kun…"_

He looked up at the sky and could've sworn to have smelled the sweet scent of lavender and vanilla. She was still with him, he could feel it.

"_I've left my body in my room, on the bed. Please give me a spot next to my brother on the graveyard…"_

A small smile formed on his lips and he closed his eyes again.

"Wait for me, Hime."

* * *

A cackling laughter sounded through the halls of 'Las Noches'.

"Does it please you, my lord?" Hime whispered as she bowed her head from her position next to the large mirror.

Stretching and flexing his fingers in supreme enjoyment, he then turned to the mirror and looked at his reflection in utter satisfaction. "Yes, Hime-chan! This will do just fine."

Hime bowed her head again in acknowledgement and smirked. "I'm glad you are pleased, master."

"With this gigai," the Hollow whispered with growing glee, "I don't need to use Ichigo's body to go to the Living World." He laughed out loud and admired himself a bit more.

"With this, I'm one step closer to destroying Ichigo for once and for all!" He then moved his new naked body towards her and reached out to her face, cupping it in his right hand. "How do you think I look?"

Hime lifted her eyes up to the face she knew so well and smiled impishly in response.

The gigai, that Urahara had specially developed, had taken the appearance of Ichigo's body, mainly because Hollow Ichigo and he are but one and the same. Still, the Hollow's characteristics dominated the Gigai's appearance, like the amber/black eyes and the pale hair. Other than that, one could say that he was the exact twin of Ichigo Kurosaki.

"I expected for you to like it…" he whispered and drew her closer to him with a grin, pulling her by her hair so her head snapped backwards and he could plant his hungry lips in her throat.

Hime closed her eyes and opened her mouth in a soundless moan as her hands slid up his arms and shoulders.

By the time he had her on the floor gasping his name in undeniable pleasure, she never noticed the dried up traces her scarlet tears had left on her pale skin.

Nor the screams that hopelessly tried to get heard from the depths of her soul.

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List

-Anata: You (My love)

-'Anzuru na' : Don't worry

-Doko: Where?

-'Douka shita no?' : What's wrong?

-Doushite: Why?

-Gigai : Faux body

-Go : Five

-Hai: Yes

-Ichi : One

-(chi) 'Kuso : Damn it

-Minna : Everyone

- Mou ii yo : It's alright

- Mou yamero : That's enough

-Nande: What

- N-Nani : What

- Nani itende (yo): What are you talking about?

-Ne : an Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'So', 'Well', 'And?', 'Hey' or 'No?', depending on its position in the phrase

-Ni : two

- Onegai : Please

- Reitai : Spirit Entity/Body

-San : Three

-Shi : Four

-Taichou : Captain

-Yosh : Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'Alright' or 'Okay'

-Yukata : A light version of a Kimono. Used as a bathrobe here

**_Yosh! Time for a break everyone! I'll be putting this story on hold for a few weeks, maybe a month, just so I can finish the remaining chapters in peace. I'm a busy person, so please bare with me, ne? Hehehe, thanx for the reviews and the encouraging mails and PM's, you peeps are the best!_**

**_Ja_** **_ne, minna-san!_**

_**Upcoming chapter: **8. Resurrection – From the bottom of my little black heart_

_To be continued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	8. From the bottom of my little black heart

8. Resurrection – From the bottom of my little black heart

* * *

Great silver tears scorched through the grey skies as the weather prepared to announce a stormy afternoon.

The atmosphere was tense in the small chamber Urahara used as a living room and complete verbal silence drummed in everyone's ears as the majority of the cast glances were directed to one person in particular, sitting in between Matsumoto Rangiku and Urahara Kisuke.

A flash of lightening illuminated the dimly lit space, briefly lighting up the grim faces of his guests.

"Why you of all people?" Rukia then suddenly asked, sitting with her arms crossed over her chest, not even bothering to look at the person she was talking to.

"Rukia…" Renji soothingly began, but only met with her stubborn expression.

She shook her head angrily, "I will not just sit here and watch him grin like some perverted maniac while Inoue and Ichigo are somewhere out there in need of our help!"

"Kuchiki-san, this is no time for this," Hitsugaya Toushirou sternly said, putting his cup of tea on the table. "The hour is grave."

"But sir—" 

The emerald eyed adolescent rested his gaze on her briefly before closing his eyes and averting his face. "I know we had our differences with him, but now isn't the moment for triviality of that kind."

Rukia fell silent and sighed, but her scowl did not disappear. "Yes sir."

"Matsumoto gave me a report of what she witnessed with Kurosaki earlier," the 10th squad captain coolly continued. "Matsumoto?"

"Hai, Taichou," Rangiku spoke from her spot left from him. She then began to tell all who was present what she saw before and after she intervened in Ichigo's fight with Hollow Orihime.

"She finished by saying that in order to win the upcoming battle, she had to be killed in order to completely destroy any remnant of Kurosaki's Hollow."

Everyone was silent for a long time as they contemplated those last few words. Expressions ranging from utter disbelieve to pained sadness could be read on all the guests; no one had expected for things to turn this bad so quickly.

"Orihime-chan…" RinRin whimpered, sinking to her knees on the table. Nova and Cloud stepped up to her and brought their arms around her in a consoling embrace while she wept silent tears.

Rukia felt her own tears begin to well up in her eyes and even though she tried her very best to hold them back, she was still grateful when Renji took her in his arms. "Inoue…"

"Inoue-san…" Uryuu whispered, holding a hand in front of his mouth in profound shock and disbelieve. "This can't be happening…"

Chad closed his eyes and bent his head, letting his silence speak for itself.

"Such saddening news…" a sly voice suddenly spoke, "she truly was such a lovely girl…"

Rukia growled at that and detached herself from Renji. "Like you truly care! Like you're truly sorry! Murderer!"

"Kuchiki-san," Urahara spoke softly, "Please."

"No!" She cried, standing now and pointing an accusing finger to the silver haired man sitting across from her at the table. "He shouldn't even be here! You did this to her! It's your fault, Ichimaru!"

Renji stood in turn and kept her from loosing total control over her anger, pulling her away. "Rukia, that's enough…!"

"Renji! Renji, let me go!" she softly said, fighting against his iron grip on her, "Let me go! I can't let him—" Her tears then began to roll down her cheeks and she closed her eyes in utter sadness, feeling despair beginning to take over in her mind and in her heart. "He destroyed… a perfectly… innocent life…" She sunk through her knees and fell against Renji who easily picked her up and walked out of the room with her sobbing in his arms.

"Sumimasen," Gin softly said, looking down at his hands underneath the table, "Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything."

Urahara sighed softly and then began to move himself upon his feet. "Well, there isn't much we can do about that now, Ichimaru-san," he walked over to the shoji door and closed it. "But time is pressing, so I would like to get on with our little chat."

"Hai," Gin docilely said with a nod.

"Excuse me for interrupting too," Uryuu suddenly spoke, turning to Yoruichi, Rangiku and Toushirou, "but I was wondering if perhaps Kurotsuchi-Taichou gave a possible solution to Inoue-san's process of Hollowification?"

His question met with a wall of reluctant silence and the Quincy's hope for a satisfying answer flew out the window a moment later. If even the mighty Soul Society couldn't come up with an answer, then what did this mean now?

"How about Ichigo?" Chad tried in turn, "Does anyone know where he went?"

Rangiku shook her head and folded her arms underneath her ample bosom, "I don't think we need to worry about him, Sado. He just needs to be alone for a while. Orihime-chan meant a lot to him."

"Hai desu!" Cloud enthusiastically said, walking up to him, "Ichigo-san has this knack of showing up at the right place at the right time! He'll surface sooner or later! Let's no worry about him!"

Chad and Uryuu cracked a smile at that. Though everything seemed to be working against them right now, they realised that now wasn't the time to back away from the upcoming fight, but to prepare themselves for the battles up ahead, just like Ichigo probably was doing right now.

Toushirou bent his head and silently sighed, seemingly sunken into deep thought.

"Taichou?" Rangiku wondered, having noticed his calculating gaze.

The white haired Shinigami looked up and fixed the former 3th Squad Captain of the Gotei 13. "Before leaving from Soul Society, Kurotsuchi-Taichou told me that a Plus infected by a Hollow only becomes one in turn, if the proper conditions are met."

"Proper conditions?" Uryuu echoed.

Yoruichi nodded, "A Plus can only become a Hollow if there are elements from his past life keeping him from moving on, like regrets or unfinished business…" she let her sentence die out quietly as something came up in her mind and turned to look at her blond haired partner now sitting near the shoji door. "Kisuke…"

Urahara didn't respond and hid his face underneath his bucket hat. "Ichimaru-san… I assume he got hold of those notes as well, eh?"

Gin nodded solemnly, "He's a big fan of you work, Urahara-san…"

"Departing from the supposition that Inoue isn't the kind of person to leave regrets behind her," Toushirou spoke, eying Urahara intently, "I suppose that Aizen must've done something to her while she was still held captive in Las Noches, am I right?"

Urahara turned to him and fixed the young captain for a few moments, trying to find the words to tell them that he had unwillingly had a part in this new turn of events again. "Hollownized blood."

"Hollownized blood?" Rangiku whispered in utter disgust. "Nande—"

"In her food and in her beverages," Gin softly informed, "He would add small amounts of Hollow blood, affected by the Houkyouku to keep her docile enough and to slowly, but surely attain a rudimentary form of Hollowification."

"So he tried to change her back then?" Chad wondered.

Urahara sighed shook his head, "Even if he had continued to feed her the blood for ten years, she only would've chosen their side, not completely transformed into one of them."

"It would've switched her sense of morality," Toushirou whispered.

"Sou desu…" Gin concurred.

"The very first tests I made after creating the Houkyouku involved the blood of slaughtered Hollows," Urahara explained, "During my research, I came to the conclusion that if the altered hollow blood was injected into a normal soul, that soul would become 10 to 15 times stronger and exceed the Reiatsu levels of a normal Bankai form, even if it never actually attained Bankai. But, the price to pay for that was to allow the soul to be responsive to Hollows, or in other words, their Saketsu, which is the booster of their Spiritual Power, would begin to corrode with time, rendering them to a near Hollow status.

Aizen must have given Inoue-san enough of it to make her receptive for the hollow essence Kurosaki's Hollow spilled within her." He concluded, "And that's what Kurotsuchi-Taichou must've meant."

"So, there's really no way…?" Rangiku whispered quietly.

"The time that is left before she completely turns depends on her own strength…." Urahara answered, "But even so, if not stopped in time, her changing will be inevitable."

"Oh God…"

"But, Urahara-san," Uryuu exclaimed, "What about the baby?"

The former 12th Squad Captain shook his head resolutely. "Now I know she was never pregnant."

A shocked silence engulfed the living room.

"Demo," RinRin whispered shakily, "we all saw—"

"Chigau," Urahara continued, "there was no child. Her body merely reacted as such because that's what the Hollow wanted for all of us to believe. It was the hollow essence before it merged with her soul."

"How come you never realized it before?" Toushirou asked sternly.

"I asked myself that same question just a few moments ago," Urahara whispered, turning his head towards Yoruichi who sat herself next to him now to show her silent form of support. "And I honestly only came up with one hypothesis so far."

Toushirou's eyes spread wide as he realised what the older man meant.

Gin's grin disappeared as well and he sighed.

Urahara looked up and his right eye glistened underneath the shade of his bucket hat.

"Aizen."

* * *

"Doushite?" Rukia whispered now that Renji had placed her on an empty futon a few rooms away from the living room. "Don't you feel the same?" 

Renji sighed and kneeled next to her on the floor, reaching out to wipe away her tears. "He was working undercover for Yamamoto-sama, Rukia. He's been cleansed of all his misdoings…"

Rukia let herself fall back on the futon and held on to her forehead. "He's an evil person, Renji… I know it. I can feel it!"

The redheaded Shinigami took her left hand in his and kissed its palm, closing his eyes. "Mou ii, Rukia… I know you're worried, we all are, but Ichimaru-san resigned from his post as a captain and chose to have his Saketsu sealed off so his Reiatsu wouldn't be a threat to anyone. For him to come back into the living world is a perilous enterprise because every Hollow will come after him now and he has practically no means of defence."

Rukia turned away from him, staring at the full moon that shone through the little window of the room. "Don't defend him, Renji. I've hated him for so long; I can't just shake it off like that. Why did he even bother coming if he knew he'd be but a burden to all of us?"

"Because he knows things about Hollowification that we don't and if Inoue is back in Hueco Mundo, he can be of great aide."

"So what?" She whispered, still not looking at him, "Is this some kind of a repentance trip for him? Does he expect for us to see him like a hero for doing this?!"

"Calm down, Koboshi…" Renji gently spoke, making her turn her head at the mention of his nickname for her. "We don't have a choice right now… "

She sat up and crawled into his lap, holding him tightly. "What are we going to do? Inoue… and Ichigo…" A soft kiss was pressed on her forehead and she smiled softly at the calming effect his hold had on her.

"Don't give up… we're all here to find a solution."

"We don't even know where Ichigo went…" She continued, closing her eyes as Renji began to rock them back and forth slowly.

Renji took a deep breath and laid his eyes on the pale moon outside. "He'll turn up sooner of later. Don't worry about that for now."

"Renji…" She whispered, holding on to the folds of his black kimono, "Why is all of this happening… How do humans maintain these feelings of love and friendship when those feelings can hurt them the worst?"

Renji closed his eyes and held her tighter, smiling softly in her hair. "Because, those feelings they have bring a little speck of light in an otherwise cold and dark world. It's their hope, I think, and their strength. It's what gives them the potential to be great…"

"Taken straight out of the Anthropology Manual 6.3?" She chuckled with him, nuzzling his throat and breathing in his masculine scent with a small smile. Rukia then buried herself deeper into his embrace and took a shaky breath. "Before I met Inoue, I had no close female friends. I used to think that friendship and companionship only meant burdening. After Kaien-dono died, I didn't think I could entrust anyone with my feelings of friendship, I was afraid of getting hurt, so I preferred to keep my distances…"

"Even with me, eh?" Renji softly spoke, now looking down at her and brushing a strand of her jet-black hair out of her sad eyes.

She nodded. "When the Kuchiki-clan had accepted me, I used to think that it was best to forget about the friendship we had had so I wouldn't feel the pain of knowing that I might never see you again."

Renji nodded softly in understanding and took her back into his arms.

"You, Ichigo and Inoue showed me that it's okay to depend on others and to share each other's pain. You were my friends; I was able to count on you…"

"I don't know much about this love thing, but I do know that, when stuff like this happens, it gives us hope and faith. Aren't you the one who kept having faith in Ichigo when all seemed hopeless?"

"Yeah, but Renji—" 

The redhead shook his head, "This is no different. We know he's in pain, we know he's lost the woman he loves, but I know that guy as much as you think you know him and you were right before; he's not the kind of guy who just sits around and feels sorry for himself."

Rukia sighed and looked up at him as her eyes watered up. "Renji…"

Renji bent down and pressed his lips against hers softly, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "It'll all be alright."

She sniffled and leant into his touch. "Then why do I feel like something horrible is about to happen?"

* * *

Like a vision taken straight out of a romantic fairytale, her inert body was laid onto a bed of white flowers Hachigen had made appear in a last token of respect for her. He then kneeled next to her as in prayer before stretching out his arms over her to conjure a transparent coffin. 

Shinji rolled his eyes from Hachi to Ichigo standing at the other end of the hangar and sighed silently.

Ten minutes ago, Ichigo walked into their lair carrying the lifeless body of Inoue Orihime in his arms. Shinji hadn't felt the need to pry him with questions; something in the boy's Reiatsu told him what he already had felt the moment he stepped through Hachi's barrier.

That idiot lost control of his Hollow.

Ichigo wouldn't ask for help, not in a million years, the blond Vaizard knew that. His Shinigami pride wouldn't allow him to.

He came to say goodbye to her. To the woman he fell in love with.

Shinji closed his eyes and rested the back of his head against the wall.

He had warned that imbecile about this.

Too many times.

"Did Hachi finish that barrier?"

Shinji turned his head to the black haired young girl standing next to him now. "Do you think he knows?"

Lisa laid her eyes on the glowing coffin Orihime was resting in and shook her head. "The look in his eyes said enough. He is ignorant."

"It's not like it would change much now," he thoughtfully whispered, gazing over at Hachi once more. "Telling him would probably make him go do stupid things again."

"The way things are now, he's most likely to do something stupid in the upcoming hours."

They both turned now and noticed Kensei standing a few meters away, scratching the back of his head with a slightly annoyed yawn.

"Where are the others?" Lisa asked.

"Down below," Kensei answered, approaching them and stopping to watch Hachi's work. "He's going to go after it, you know, Shinji."

Shinji gave an annoyed grunt and rolled his eyes. "Why is it, that when it comes to that guy, everybody presumes I'm the one responsible for him?!"

"Unfortunately," Lisa spoke, completely ignoring her comrade's comment, "there's nothing he can learn from us, he is no longer a Vaizard."

"Like you're truly sorry…" Shinji muttered bitterly.

"Ichi really seemed to care for her a lot…" a little voice suddenly sounded near them and a green haired girl popped up from behind Kensei.

The white haired Vaizard crossed his arms over his chest. "He's brought her here for keepsake, just in case he'd be able to bring her back."

Mashiro frowned cutely and looked up at Shinji questioningly. "Is that still an option?"

Shinji remained silent as he watched how Ichigo walked over to the transparent light coffin. "That's not up to me to answer."

Ichigo rested his eyes on her, watching her seemingly dormant face. A part of him still expected for her to wake up any minute and say something that would catch him totally off guard.

A minim smirk appeared on his lips and he bent his head at the melancholy of the situation.

No matter what anyone said, this was still his fault. He knew Shinji wouldn't reprimand him about it, but the facts were what they were: The blond Vaizard _had_ warned him about the dangers of emotional attachment. Shinji had told him to be careful concerning disembowelling emotions such as love and hate, he had told him to keep them under reasonable control seen as how he only recently learned how to control his Hollow. It took decades of training to completely subdue ones Hollow, even after having cast it to the deepest reaches of ones soul.

He knew all of that, he had paid attention to the lessons, but—

"_I like this new you… you look more relaxed… Carefree, almost…"_

"_That's the effect you have on me, Hime…"_

"_I'm glad then… that I can give you such feelings. Thank you, Ichigo-kun…for letting me."_

He had wanted to believe it; he had wanted to prove to himself and to the others that he could handle it. He had wanted to be freed of his constant troubled mind. Just once, he had wanted to feel carefree… to not be that goddamned hero everyone so desperately needed.

She was the only one who had made him feel like that. She had set him free.

Ichigo gulped and lifted his eyes up her body again, feeling an ardent shame drown his insides.

He had been so selfish.

And this was the result of it all.

But he would fix it and Orihime would suffer no more because of the love she carried for him. No one else would suffer because they cared about him, no one else would die. No more blood would be smeared onto his hands.

It would all end.

"Hachi-san," he whispered, catching the large man's attention. "How long can you preserve her body like that?"

Hachi turned his head back to Orihime with a thoughtful expression. "She hasn't endured major traumas and her tissues are almost in impeccable state. I can keep her body from decomposing further for at least a week, but Kurosaki-san her Chain of Fate—"

"Arigatou, Hachi-san," Ichigo softly said, walking around the coffin and kneeling next to her head. He let the back of his right hand caress her pale and cold left cheek before he bent over and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Hold on just a little bit longer, Hime. Wait for me just a little bit longer."

* * *

The dying sun coloured the skies red in the aftermath of the deluge of earlier, slowly dissappearing behind the high buildings of the city in the distance. 

The scent of fresh raindrops lingered in the air as a blonde haired woman stepped out to the little garden behind Urahara's small shoten. With small steps she traced the path of stepstones displayed beneath her towards the fish pond in the back of the serene garden. She let her eyes go over the swimming koi varieties in the water for a while, feeling the need for some tranquil moments away from the constant tormenting thoughts her mind pestered her with.

She had been in utterly shocked when he had proven himself to still live after the destruction of Las Noches...

Gin Ichimaru, ex Captain of the 3rd squad of the Gotei 13, presumed traitor of the Soul Society, Aizen Sousuke's right hand and childhood friend to her...

_"Sayonara, Rangiku... Gomen."_

"Gin..." Her lips formed the name, but no sound passed them. Those words he had whispered to her on that day had burned within her, scorching away the image she always had had of him.

Ever since they were children, he had in some way taken care of her, always made sure that she was protected when the fangs of orphanhood bit themselves into her naked skin. Never had she had to worry about food or shelter when he was with her and as the years passed by and they both grew older, her feelings of self-worth and gratitude towards him only gained in magnitude. She trusted him with her life; something she had never experienced with anyone else. Back then, his smiling face was a genuineness and a heartfelt reaction, not the facade he now wielded in order to hide his underlying intentions.

She wondered if she truly knew him after all. Doubt had clouded up all certainty and only the memories of how things once were had been left on her scarred heart.

Rangiku cracked a smile and sighed. "I'm acting so stupid..." How many times had she told herself that she wouldn't let herself drown into nostalgia like this? What happened, happened and there was no need to go regret deeds that had been done.

She kneeled next to the pond and reached inside a fold of her kimono to take out some bread crumbles she had saved from dinner so she could now throw them to the fish. She watched them gather to the surface to eat for a few moments and then sighed, having decided to go back inside the house.

Gin was standing by the porch's door, leaning against a wooden pole as he observed her silently. "Like a star shining brightly in the twilight..." he then whispered softly, catching her attention.

Rangiku turned her head in his direction and began to stand. "Ichimaru-san..."

"You hurt my feelings, Rangiku..." He said with a saddened tone in his voice, moving himself to sit on the porch now. "But I expected for your forgiveness to have the highest price of them all."

She didn't answer him, but simply walked on.

"Rangiku," Gin whispered, standing now as she was about to pass him. " I didn't get a chance to talk to you back in there… "

Rangiku held back a gasp at his sudden movement and halted briefly. "Ichimaru-san," she insisted as he kept her from moving on with an arm stretched out in front of her.

"Have I lost it completely?" He whispered almost pleadingly, not looking at her, "Ne, Rangiku, is it really gone?"

She closed her eyes and bent her head, bringing one arm up to his still holding her back. "I'm not sure if it really was there to begin with... The person I gave it to doesn't seem to exist anymore, Ichimaru-san," Rangiku whispered, pushing his arm aside now and walking back inside the house.

A new grin formed on his features and he sat himself back down. "Then you won't be there to hold me back when I walk away again, huh?" The smirk then dissappeared as suddenly as it appeared and he bent his head. "This time, I truly am alone."

The sun set in the distance and the darkness slowly crept closer for the day's transition into night.

* * *

The rain had fallen once more during nigh time and had left the asphalt paths of the small park wet and abandoned in the early hours of the next day. 

Minding her steps and controlling her breathing and tempo, a young black haired woman ran her daily jog. Up beat tracks played directly into her ear and she let herself go into the rhythmic of the current song, briefly forgetting about the troublesome night she left behind her.

About a week ago, Tatsuki received a letter from her best friend in which she told her that she left for some remote all girls college. Not only had it been unexpected to receive such news from her, but it had also caused a growing feeling of worry to surface within her.

It hadn't been the first time her friend left abruptly like this and the last time nearly ended in her being killed. If it hadn't been for her boyfriend bringing her back, she wouldn't have known what to do without her. Tatsuki had discovered that both Orihime and Ichigo possessed supernatural abilities and that the world they belonged to was far beyond her level of understanding. She usually felt very protective of her best friend, but when it came to matters like white masked monsters and sword flinging individuals, she preferred not to get in the way.

So, when she read the letter she received from Orihime, she secretly knew it had something to do with those other matters and that she'd be safe with Ichigo.

But last night, when she came back from a karate tournament, she could've sworn to have seen Ichigo in his Shinigami form leaping over a roof, holding someone in his arms. From the flailing light hair he held against his chest, she had deduced it to be Orihime, but she had felt something strange about it. Usually, she always could sense Orihime's presence, but when Ichigo flew over her last night, she couldn't feel Orihime's aura even though she could've sworn that she was the one in Ichigo's arms.

When she went to check at Orihime's apartment, she only found a notice pinned against her door saying that the apartment was up for renting.

She had shrugged her suspiciousness off to weariness and returned home for a good night of sleep. Yet her dreams seemed to have chosen to torment her further and by the time it was morning, her initial worry had taken over thoughts and feelings.

"Ohayou, Karin," she said into the phone after she had dialled the Kurosaki's house phone number, "is Ichigo home? It's Tatsuki."

"_Sure."_

A few screeching 'Ichi-nii's' later, she received a groggy sounding Ichigo on the other line.

"_Orihime?_ _Yeah, of course she's fine. We talked over the phone last night. She seems to like it at her new school—"_

At that Tatsuki had raised a sceptic eyebrow. "I saw you flying over rooftops last night with her in your arms."

"_Last night? You must've seen me rescue someone else. Orihime is not here, Tatsuki. What are you insinuating?"_

"I—" she halted in her words as she thought about his words. What was she insinuating anyway? Orihime told her she left for a new school, so why was she even questioning it? "Ichigo," she then whispered, "If something was wrong, you'd tell me, right?"

There was a soft sigh on the other side of the line and then he chuckled, "_You worry too much, baka. She's fine."_

"Yeah," Tatsuki smiled briefly, but still didn't feel completely reassured. "If you say so… you're more capable of protecting her anyway, eh?"

"_Yeah… Bye Tatsuki."_

"Bye."

Tatsuki frowned slightly at that. Those last words of his had sounded almost… sad?

The phone call hadn't had the effect she had been hoping for and therefore, she chose to go clear her mind with a good jogging session, and that explained the reason she was now jumping over a puddle of mud.

Thick drops of water dripped down the hanging leaves of the trees above her and she breathed in the moist and fresh air. Though it was now mid-March and officially spring, it was still a bit too cold for this time of the year.

A sudden strong wind blew through the trees, making the leaves rustle in the restless air. Tatsuki shielded her eyes against the unexpected meteorological change and took a few steps back. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…?"

She turned off her mp3-player and sighed, bending over to catch her breath.

A pair of black, point tip leather shoes then suddenly appeared in her eye sight and Tatsuki slowly lifted her head to see who it was that so rudely invaded her personal space. Her gaze went up a pair of knee high boots and a pair of black skin tight jeans. A bright scarlet jacket was the next thing she saw, covering a black button shirt. She took a step back when she recognised the impressive cleavage and gasped in surprise when she finally rested her eyes on an all too familiar face.

"Hey Tatsuki!"

Tatsuki was suddenly taken into a tight embrace. "Orihime!" She lifted her arms up her body in response to her amicable greeting. "I thought you were at Nakase! What are you doing here?"

Orihime giggled and let go of her, shaking her long light brown hair back. "I just went to check it out; I'll be going over there in a week to get settled in. Didn't I tell you so in the letter?"

Tatsuki only smiled and shrugged, "I'm just so glad you're here! You left so suddenly!" She then growled and made a fist. "I'm going to kill that useless boyfriend of yours!"

Orihime cocked her head to the side and giggled, "Doushite?"

"He never told me you were coming back today! We talked over the phone this morning and he didn't tell me anything!"

Orihime chuckled and shrugged, "Maybe he wanted it to be a surprise of some sort."

"Yeah right, that guy has lousy ways of surprising people." Tatsuki rolled her eyes. Then something hit her. "Demo, Orihime, where will you be staying? I passed by your apartment—"

"That's all taken care of, Tatsuki," The brown haired girl said with a soft grin. "I'm staying at a hotel with a few friends from school."

"Oh," Tatsuki said, feeling a little disappointed. "You already made friends?"

"Ne, Tatsuki-chan, don't be jealous!" Orihime happily exclaimed, "I just thought it'd be better this way so I wouldn't disturb the peace at your house."

"Hmm…" Tatsuki pouted slightly but soon melted before Orihime's apologizing smile. "Okay, but I get visitation rights!"

"You got it!" Orihime said with a smirk.

"So then, have you seen Ichigo yet?"

The other girl shook her head, "Let him wait a while longer, you're the one I missed a lot, Tatsuki."

"Come on," Tatsuki said, "so you can tell me all about that new school of yours," she let her eyes go over Orihime's unusual get up with an impressed expression, "and your new clothing style at my place."

Orihime chuckled and they began to walk towards the exit of the park. She hooked her right arm into her friend's left one before she cast a look behind her briefly. She then turned again and smiled a satisfied smile that went unknown by Tatsuki.

Hidden between the thick branches of a tall tree, a white spiky haired young man watched the two women walk away, a growing sneer appearing on his lips.

* * *

Her eyes blinked open with the first ray of the sun that managed to break through the packed sky and shine into the room she occupied, the memories of the past night still present in the back of her head. 

Rukia sighed out softly, taking in the position she was in. A warm hand was resting against her stomach and spooning her against a strong and muscled body. Her nose picked up his scent and for a fleeting second she remembered the one good thing that happened the past night.

She placed a hand over his and smiled, feeling how he took a deep breath, shifted a little and sighed. "Ohayou…"

"Aa… slept well?" Renji asked groggily, leaning up onto his left elbow so he could look at her with a small smirk.

Rukia glanced up at him briefly and vainly oppressed a smile. "Thank you…" she then whispered, looking up to the window again.

"My pleasure," he whispered back, brushing a few strands of her hair off her right cheek. Renji smiled lovingly at her, watching her close her eyes as she sunk deeper into her private thoughts. She was still worried, he could easily tell and he knew that no words he could come up with would change that because he was worried too. "Rukia."

She turned her head to his still hovering above hers.

"Let's go search for them later on," he offered, "Hitsugaya-taichou and Rangiku are going to stay here to report to the Soul Society and I think that Urahara-san is going to investigate on the missing Gigai. Why don't you and I go search for Ichigo and Inoue-san?"

Rukia's eyes lit up at that and she nodded. "But, where to look first?"

The redhead gave her a knowing smile and brought his head closer to hers, "Last time Ichigo disappeared, where did he go?"

"The Vaizard's lair," Rukia answered with a hopeful smile.

Renji nodded, "It's worth a shot, right?"

She grinned and brought a hand up into his loose hair, "I never thought you'd be so insightful, I must admit."

He gave her a crooked smile and stole a kiss from her lips, "I never thought I'd see you act so feminine. Not in a million years."

"W-what?!" she exclaimed, pushing her off of him. "I was just worried!"

Renji laughed and crawled on top of her again, rendering her defenseless as he pinned her wrists on each side of her head onto the futon with his hands. "I wasn't only talking about that…" he bent over again and enmeshed their lips into a sultry kiss. "I don't know if it was because you were worried or not, but I loved the way you felt against me last night."

Rukia blushed and opened her eyes to stare into his warm chocolate ones. "Renji…"

"I can't stand to see you tormenting yourself like that…" he whispered, trailing kisses the long her jaw line. "I want to be there to take those worries away, Rukia… Please let me."

"Renji…" Rukia smiled, "I don't mean to be like this… I'm still learning to depend on others and you're the only one that makes me feel like…" she chuckled in embarrassment and rolled her eyes as she realized how sappy she sounded.

"Come on…" Renji encouraged with a smile of his own, "I'm here now, just say it… Feel like what?"

"I'm not used to this!" she laughed, "I'm not good at explaining how I feel…"

"Daijobou," he laughed in turn, "then just show me."

Rukia blushed even harder and turned her head away. "Wasn't last night enough?"

"Last night was last night. It's morning now."

She chuckled. "Smartass…"

"Then let me go first, okay?" he whispered, rubbing the tip of their noses together.

Before she could even answer him, he captured her lips again and kissed her gently; making gentle movements of his lips so she could follow his lead. Then, he tentatively let his tongue brush against her lips, taking advantage of her soft gasp to explore her mouth with it. She groaned softly at the warm tongue tenderly caressing hers and a flash of heat that pooled into the pit of her stomach made her arch slightly, earning her an approving grunt from his part. Her hands instinctively dug themselves into his broad upper arms and she gasped at the little movement of hips he produced underneath the covers.

"R-Renji…!"

"Shh…" he soothingly whispered against her cheek, "It's alright… do you feel good?"

"Hnnn…" Rukia arched again and bit her lower lip at the pleasure that now coursed through her system. "This is so not the time for this…"

"Then why are you making all those sexy sounds…?"

She blushed harder at that and hit him over his head, "J-just shut up…"

Renji chuckled deep in his throat and kissed her again; rolling them over the futon so she was on top of him. "You know, I think I prefer you expressing your feelings this way than with words."

A small vein popped on the back of her head and she grinned evilly, "Oh really?"

"Yes, most definitely," he answered back with a satisfied smile.

"Then let's see how much you prefer this over a simple word." She suddenly grabbed his crotch in her right hand and gave a harsh squeeze, making the Vice-Captain of the 6th Squad squeal in horrible pain.

Rukia demounted him and quickly made her way to the shoji door, laughing her way out of the room as he set in the pursuit with a murderous glint in his eyes.

* * *

The skies were still packed with the heavy grey clouds from the past night as the day progressed into late morning, as if wondering whether they'd let it rain again or not. 

A middle aged man was standing on the most southern bridge tiding over Karasu River, leaning over the rampart to look at the dark water that tranquilly flowed beneath him. He sighed softly and stood up right again, placing his hands in the pockets of his black pants.

"Dad."

He turned to look at the orange haired youth that slowly approached him and gave a stern nod of his head. "How is she?"

Ichigo shifted his gaze to the side and sighed out silently. "Hachi-san is still keeping her body from completely dying."

"Then we have 5 days, at most."

Ichigo nodded silently.

"Let me tell you this in advance, Ichigo," Isshin seriously said, giving his son a brief glance. "And don't think I'm only saying this because you're my son and I'd have a lot of explaining to do if something went wrong afterwards, but I'm warning you. The training I'm going to subdue you to will most likely kill you if you don't manage to adapt yourself to it the moment it begins."

There was a short silence after those words and then the young Shinigami took a step forwards. "If I don't succeed with this, then I'm not worthy of all these powers that have been given to me," Ichigo replied with an equally serious expression. "I have responsibilities and I'm not planning on running away from them."

Isshin only gave him a testing look and then turned away from him, snapping his fingers.

A burst of wind then suddenly blew over the bridge and Ichigo took in a steadying position against it, keeping his right arm up to shelter his eyes.

Next to his father a black hole materialized and the direction of the wind shifted, now sucking the air into it instead of pushing it away.

Ichigo cast his father a doubtful stare that got returned with a reassuring one and he quit fighting the pulling force, letting himself be sucked into the darkness of the hole.

Isshin followed his son soon after, walking through the dimensional gate calmly before it disappeared into a haze of white light.

* * *

Japanese Vocabulary List 

-Aa / Hai : Yes

-Arigatou : Thanks

-Baka : Idiot

-Chigau : Wrong/different

-Daijobou: Alright

-Demo: But

-Doushite : Why?

-Gomen / Sumimasen: I'm sorry/ Excuse me

-Hai desu/ Sou desu : That's right

-Koboshi: Little star

-Mou ii : That's enough

-Nande : What

-Ne: an Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'So', 'Well', 'And?', 'Hey' or 'No?', depending on its position in the phrase

-Ohayou : Good morning

-Sayonara : Goodbye

-Shoten: Shop

-Taichou : Captain

_**Additional Facts (Facts I learned myself while writing this chapter)**_

1. Bleach Facts

The Saketsu, or Spirit boost, is where the Chain of Fate is attached to on Spirits, when damaged, it will reduce the victim's Spiritual Power considerably, and while it's very difficult to destroy it without taking the Hakusui with it, it is rumored that the total destruction of the Saketsu is what creates Hollows.

The Hakusui, the "Soul's Soul", is roughly located in the same location as where the heart would be on a living being. It is the source of Spiritual Strength, enough damage sustained there would remove the victim's spiritual power. In addition, it's total destruction would spell the certain end of that soul for all eternity...

_**Excerpts taken from the Bleach/ Advent Soul Forum**_

2. Japanese Facts

In Japan, almost all schools run a three-term school year. Most schools have a first term from April 1 to mid-July. The exact date of the beginning of the summer break and its duration vary across regions, but commonly the break lasts for about one or two months. The break originated to avoid the heat in summer, so elementary and middle schools in Hokkaidō tend to have a shorter summer break than the rest of schools in Japan. A second term lasts from early September to late December with a winter break at the end of the year. The term is followed by a third term from early January to early March and a brief spring break lasting several weeks. The graduation ceremony occurs in March, and the enrollment ceremony in early April.

_**Excerpt taken from Answers . com**_

_**

* * *

**__**Whoa, so there you have it, you guys! Yay, I'm back (finally)! I hope you enjoyed the opening for season 2 of this story (lol)! A lot of things got revealed here, but the story is no way near completion yet!**_

_**Some of you may have heard it from my 'secretary' on msn, but I recently had a climbing accident and uh… my writing process got slowed down quite a bit by it, which has resulted in the fact that I won't be able to update every week on this story like I previously used to because I haven't defined the upcoming chapters yet even if I know for myself what's next. So I'll be updating sporadically from now on, sumimasen!**_

_**Honto**_ _**ni arigatou though for the amount of reviews and levels of support I got so far for this! And rest assure, I'm not giving up on this! Not ever!**_

_**Ja**_ _**ne!**_

_Upcoming chapter: 9. Majestic Consort – The Obsidian Queen_

_**To be Continued…**_


	9. The Obsidian Queen

9. Majestic Consort – The Obsidian Queen

* * *

Walking footsteps sounded in the snow white room and soon halted a few meters away from the motionless body lying on the center of the immense space. 

"On your feet."

Brown eyes wearily blinked open to take in their immediate surroundings. With a questioning look the addressed young man pushed his body off the cold floor and lifted his head to see his father walking up to him in his Shinigami attire. "The hell you've brought me to…?" he growled, sitting now, "What is this place?"

Everything, from the ceiling, the walls and the floor was white and small little windows ran along the border of the ceiling. He understood that he was in a basement of some sort, one of extremely large proportions.

The footsteps sounded again and Isshin approached Ichigo once more without answering, the remains of his captain cloak waving behind him as he did.

Ichigo moved himself on his feet and was about to take a step to turn himself around and look at this surroundings a bit more, when he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness come over him and his breathing become short.

This sensation, even though highly uncomfortable, seemed vaguely familiar to him and he sank to his knees, sweat breaking out from every pore of his body.

"I said on your feet!"

It felt like gravity had increased a hundredfold; moving a muscle proved itself to be excruciatingly agonizing.

"Fuck…! Ichigo gritted his teeth in pain as he fell over on his hands, watching how drops of his sweat fell on the hard floor beneath him. "Why do I feel so weak…?"

The former Captain crossed his arms over his chest and gave Ichigo a disdainful look. "Because you are! Now move yourself on your damned feet!"

"Ngh…" His limbs were trembling as he struggled to move and he found himself gasping for air. "Damn it! Where in Hell are we?!"

A pair of waraji halted right next to the youth's shivering body. Isshin then squatted and smiled goofily, "When Ryuuken brought me here for the first time I spent the first 30 minutes trying to just breathe. That bastard really gave me a run for my money back then, hee-hee…"

"Goddamnit! Dad!" Ichigo spoke through gritted teeth, having reached the limits of his patience, "The fuck is going on?!"

The older man grinned and stood again. "It's time you learned how to control that massive amount of Reiatsu you have."

The younger Kurosaki grunted while he tried to move on his feet once more with more success than the last time. He had managed to bring his right foot flatly on the floor. "Right now I feel like I don't have any…"

Isshin smirked and wiggled his eyebrows wickedly. "Exactly."

"Huh?"

"Your memory seems quite the selective type, boy," he said, eying his son with a smug look on his face.

"Quit with the cryptic talk, old man," Ichigo growled angrily, pushing himself up on his feet now, breathing heavily from the effort. "Where are we?"

"Whoa… Impressive!" the older man exclaimed at his now standing son, "how did you do that?!"

Ichigo's left eye twitched, "I'm so going to kick your ass once I get the hang of this!"

"I'll hold you to that," Isshin said with a chuckle. "Saa," he continued, spreading his arms, "look around you, where have you seen this before?"

Ichigo let his eyes wander over the walls of the room again and then suddenly remembered. "Lethality Stone…"

Isshin smirked, unsheathed his Katana slowly and then slightly bent through his knees. "Seikai desu."

Before Ichigo fully realized it, he saw his father come straight at him, swinging his Zanpakuto in the air.

"The hell…?!" Ichigo jumped out of the way of the Zanpakuto just in time, but received a harsh kick from Isshin's left foot as he twirled around with an impressive demonstration of Captain Level Shunpo.

Isshin watched him hit a wall with a small scowl. "Osoi."

Ichigo fell back to the floor, breathing heavily while blood trickled down in small rivers from his right temple. He slumped down and looked up at his father who was approaching him again. He couldn't move a single muscle and he found it harder and harder to breathe.

"Damn… it…"

"Lethality Stone has the ability to drain one completely of his Reiryoku," Isshin calmly spoke, "even one blessed with an insanely amount like yours. But," he lifted his Zanpakuto in the air while he fixed Ichigo sternly, "that doesn't mean that you're supposed to lie down on the floor like you're doing right now."

A sudden large increase in Spirit Pressure had Ichigo gasp for air and he watched in growing astonishment and slight angst how Isshin's Zanpakuto glowed fiercely in his held up hand.

"Either you figure out how to boost your Reiatsu," Isshin lowered his blade and pointed it at Ichigo.

"Or I may have to kill you… sonny boy."

* * *

The damping mug of tea was laid on the low table in front of her and Orihime looked up with an amiable smile. 

Tatsuki grinned at her friend, "I need to go freshen up a little, but I'll be right back so we can talk further, alright?" She began to walk out of the living room, "Drink up while it's hot, it's my mother's special blend."

"Okay!" Orihime enthusiastically said, taking the cup in both her hands and bringing it up to her face as Tatsuki left with a content smile.

As soon as the black haired girl was out of sight though, Orihime's smile disappeared and turned into a disgusted scowl. "Tea?" she whispered, "Who the hell in their right mind drinks tea?!" She stood up and walked over to a plant standing in a corner of the room, pouring the content of her cup over it.

"Having fun?"

She twirled around and found her white haired version of Ichigo standing near the window with an amused look on his face.

"You seriously need to get me out of here!" She said to him from between her clenched teeth, "I can't stand doing field work like this!"

Hollow Ichigo grinned at her and reached out to her currently light brown hair. "Whoa there, Hime-sama… we went over this already," he pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead. "You need to bring Tatsuki into believing that Ichigo is the reason why you allegedly moved away from Karakura so she'll start mistrusting him and even hate him for hurting you."

Hime groaned in annoyance and leant up against him with a slight pout, "Why can't I just kill her?"

He chuckled, "All in due time."

She huffed and turned away from him. "I can't feel _him_ anywhere, you know."

Hollow Ichigo chuckled, stepped up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders to whisper in her right ear. "Just as we planned, ne?"

A malignant grin formed on her rosy lips and her eyes briefly flickered between a brown and dark blue color as she rolled them to her right. "He's so predictable."

He pressed his lips in her neck and slid his hands up her hips. "Don't forget about the invisible shield you've put up. It wavered just now."

Hime smirked and stepped away from him again, "You almost sound as if you care about me, Shirosaki-kun…"

He smirked back, "I'm not going to lie about it; you're an essential asset to me."

She laughed humorlessly and picked up a small figurine out of a showcase to look at it up close. "To you or to Aizen?"

His amber eyes widened a little and he cracked another smile. "You know what his goal is, you know what mine is… and unfortunately you're needed to accomplish both of them."

"Unfortunately?" she echoed with one quirked eyebrow, still not looking at him.

"If it were up to me alone—"

"But it isn't," Hime coldly said, looking at him now with an evil smirk. "Please don't try and woe me like I'm some sort of cheap ho."

Now it was his turn to quirk an eyebrow, a surprised one, yet he soon had his signature grin on his lips again. "You're right." He reached out to her, grabbed her by the nape of her neck and pulled her closer. "You're royalty and equal to me."

Hime lifted her right hand and watched how he lifted his left one. "You made me, we have the same goals." The palms of their hands connected and she looked up at him. "That's the way it's always meant to be. Aizen's plan is just a convenient coincidence. Not the other way around."

He grinned, "Spoken like a true queen."

Hime licked her lips and chuckled. "I can't wait to see our plan become reality."

Hollow Ichigo smirked and his eyes rolled to the corridor behind her. "Remember; always be prepared."

He captured her lips with his briefly before disappearing into a cloud of black smoke just as Tatsuki walked back into the room.

"Were you talking to someone?" she asked, running a hand through her damp hair while she moved herself to the kitchen.

Hime followed her and shook her head, "I was on my cell phone." She placed her empty cup of tea on a nearby counter. "With Ichigo-kun," she then added with a smirk that went unnoticed by the other girl.

"Are you going to meet up with him later on?" Tatsuki asked as she now opened the fridge to find something to make her breakfast with.

"Iye, we are not…" Hime sadly replied, "He says has some things to do. Shinigami related, I think."

Tatsuki frowned slightly at that and looked at her friend. "He didn't want to see you?"

Hime gave her a startled look and quickly shook her head, "No! That's not it, I just think that he can't right now…" Her voice died out and she rolled her eyes to the side, "He's just busy…"

"Orihime…" Tatsuki whispered, standing now, "You've been gone for over a week and he can't spare a few minutes to see you? What kind of a boyfriend who truly loves his girlfriend does that?!"

"Mou ii, Tatsuki-chan!" Hime assured her with an apologizing smile on her face, waving her hands in front of her. "We give each other space like that."

Tatsuki shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, "Going to the other side of the country is not giving each other space; it's practically putting a relationship on hold!"

"Tatsuki-chan…" Hime sighed with a trembling smile, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

The other girl sighed as she watched her friend's hopeless expression and walked up to her to take her in her arms. "It's not going that well, is it?"

"I don't know what else to do, Tatstuki-chan…" was Hime's teary answer over her shoulder, "I just feel like he's pushing me away."

"Have you guys talked?"

They let go of each other and Hime shook her head, wiping away her tears with the back of her right hand. "I was hoping we could do so in the short time that I'll be here, but I can't find the courage to confront him… it hurts too much."

"I'm going to kill him, I swear I will…" Tatsuki whispered, balling her fists. "Orihime, you don't have to put up with this."

"Arigatou, Tatsuki-chan…" she sniffled and smiled, tucking a strand of her light brown hair behind an ear, "But I shouldn't saddle you with mine and Ichigo-kun's problems like this. It's between the two of us and I know we'll handle it by ourselves."

"Orihime…" Tatsuki whispered with a pained expression. Never did Orihime ask for help, never did she back down from problems, even if they emotionally tore her apart. It was an aspect of her personality that Tatsuki greatly admired, but that she cursed at times as well. She couldn't stand seeing her hurting like she did now, no matter how bravely she underwent her suffering.

"Ne, Tatsuki-chan," Hime then said with a smile, "let's go out to eat, my treat!"

The black haired girl smiled amenably and shook her head slightly, "You don't have to…"

"I want to!" Hime giggled, grabbing her friend by her hand and leading her out of the kitchen again. "I crave for some sweet red bean paste on a bowl of chocolate ice cream with whipped soy bean cream! What do you feel like having, Tatsuki-chan?"

Tatsuki gave a trembling smile while imagining what she had just said and chuckled softly. "I think I'll just have a regular breakfast, heh…"

"Suit yourself," Hime said with a chuckle, putting on her high heels boots now that they were both standing in the income hall. "But you don't know what you'll be missing!"

Tatsuki laughed at that and stepped into her walking shoes before opening the front door. "I think I'll live without knowing, thank you."

They laughed and made their way out of the door, which closed itself behind them, leaving the house empty.

* * *

With a small sigh, her body lowered itself into the spring of warm water and she closed her eyes. 

"How did the report go?"

Rangiku glanced at Rukia who was sitting on the other side of the pool, running her fingers through a lock of her hair to detangle it. The Vice-Captain placed the palm of her right hand on her forehead and pouted. "The Captain General assigned for the Captain and me to stay put until Captains Ukitake and Kurotsuchi were done analyzing what we came up with so far."

"Did he seem to believe that it could've been Aizen again?"

Rangiku removed the towel she had entered with and threw it on the bank behind her, shaking her head slowly as she sat herself back down in the water. "He didn't tell us anything, but it was clear that this sudden turn of events has greatly shaken him up. Taichou said that if Orihime chose to take Aizen's side, he'd be able to bring all of the Espada back and carry on where he was stopped."

"We'd never be able to stop them a second time," Rukia whispered alarmingly.

Rangiku nodded and stared into the damping water. "We know that… what we don't know is how we're ever supposed to find Orihime."

"Rangiku-san," Rukia spoke, wading towards her, "there might be one possibility."

The blonde woman looked up at her colleague and crossed her arms underneath her chest. "Do you have any leads?"

"Renji and I have one that may lead us to Ichigo, but..." Rukia bit her lower lip and sighed silently, "That's about it."

"Where does it lead to?"

"To Ichigo's allies, the Vaizards."

Rangiku gave her a sceptic stare, "Are you sure they can be trusted?"

"Ichigo trusted them in the past," the younger Shinigami pensively said, "They've helped him a whole lot back then."

"I was not talking about that, Kuchiki-san," Rangiku argued back. "After the battle with Aizen, the Hougyokou was lost and we still haven't figured out who of the two other parties has it."

Rukia shook her head in refute, remembering how much the Vaizards helped and saved not only Ichigo, but both Orihime and the entire physical and metaphysical world as well. "Are you saying they might hold it?"

"I'm only saying that if Aizen still had it, he would've used it by now to create a new army of Arrancars." The Vice-Captain then sighed and leant back against the border of the pool. "And God knows that that would be the end for us all."

Rukia felt a little confused now, there were some things that didn't make any sense. If Aizen still had the Hougyokou, he wouldn't need Orihime, but on the other hand, if he didn't have the Hougyokou, he wouldn't be so stupid to call back his once defeated army with her help. But then, if that was the case—

"Rangiku-san," Rukia said in sudden realisation, "I'm sure Aizen still has the Hougyokou!"  
"Eh?" The blonde woman sat herself up again, "How would you know?"

"It all makes sense this way!" She said, "If Aizen asked Orihime to call back his fallen Espada, he wouldn't have the certainty of victory with their previous failure and the fact that Soul Society now knows each one of their specialities and attacks."

Rangiku nodded, now intrigued.

"But," Rukia continued, "If he had the Hougyokou, he would be able to make a new army of unknown Arrancars and still use Orihime to call back the old ones, just so they could wear us out before the true battle begins and he'd be able to create Ou Ken with us out of the way!"

By now Rangiku's eyes were spread wide in shock.

"Plus," Rukia said in a more silent tone, "last time we gained victory with the help of the Vaizard, they were a big force for our side... He could decide to wipe them out first now that he knows of their existence."

"And what if the Vaizards were the ones holding the Hougyokou?" Rangiku asked with renewed scepticism.

"If they had the Hougyokou, wouldn't there be more of them around? Ichigo would've told us if there were, no?" Rukia whispered back, a little uncertain.

Rangiku raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Look, Rangiku-san," The black haired girl said with a small sigh, "I personally would prefer the Hougyokou to be in the Vaizard's hands than in Aizen's right now, wouldn't you?"

The other woman nodded now, "I guess you have a point."

Rukia smiled and then turned to go retrieve her towel. "I'll go inform Urahara and Renji about this."

Rangiku nodded consentingly and reached for her own towel behind her, "I'll go speak with the Captain and ask for permission to accompany you and Renji."

"Hai," Rukia then turned after she had clad herself in a loose bathrobe, walking towards the exit of the underground training room.

* * *

With a nearly soundless thud the lifeless body of a young woman slumped to the floor in the back of an abandoned, dark alley. 

"Innocents and back alleys… when will they ever learn?"

The sound of high heels click-clacking over the wet, concrete ground was then heard as she walked away. Still savouring the taste of her recent meal, she then passed her tongue over her rosy lips and brought her hands up in her long sandy brown hair. She shook it briefly and, as if someone was pouring coloured water on it, her strands turned into the deepest black from the crown of her head all the way to the ends. Also, a straight cut frontal fringe appeared and with an additional shake of her head, loose curls formed in the rest of her hair and her eyes turned from a warm brown to a chilly light blue and grey.

"Finally!" Hime exclaimed with a content sigh as she felt her transparent shield shatter around her.

As soon as she had managed to gobble down her 'breakfast' with Tatsuki, they parted after she had convinced her that she had some personal affairs to attend to and that she'd contact her again later on the day.

"How Orihime ever managed to eat stuff like that is beyond me…" she then whispered with a small shiver and a grimace. She shook her head silently and then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke only to re-appear several meters above the city, overlooking it silently from her sitting position in the sky.

She didn't need to worry about anyone noticing her there as she had already put up a shield to protect herself against the Shinigamis sensing her. Additionally, now that she recovered her true form and given her body its proper nutrition, she could sense the Spiritual Pulses that roamed around the city more clearly and if she concentrated long enough, even could sense _his. _

She wasn't surprised to find a large concentration of high Reiatsu levels huddled up in one and the same place somewhere in the western part of Karakura. She did notice however a new comer amidst the group, but his Spiritual Pressure level seemed to be negligible and she couldn't recognise to whom it belonged to.

Three little flames appeared to have separated themselves from the group a short while ago and were racing towards the abandoned industrial district.

Hime smirked and jumped onto her feet. "Renji-kun, Rangiku-san and Kuchiki-san… off to see the Vaizards?"

* * *

A small door appeared in the invisible shield that surrounded one of the many warehouses in the forlorn district and the three Shinigami walked through, entering the Vaizard's home. 

Shinji walked up to them with a small smirk. "We were expecting you."

Renji frowned and cast his colleagues a questioning look. "How so?"

Rukia took a step forward and nodded, "Ichigo's been here?"

"Oh yes, he has," the blonde Vaizard answered, turning away from them and beckoning for the trio to follow him. "He even brought a gift."

"A gift?" Rangiku echoed as they were being led towards a room adjacent to the one they were in.

Shinji nodded, "You'll see what I mean."

They entered a smaller room that was lit up by a yellow glow coming from a rectangular object standing in the centre of it. Hachi was sitting next to it on the floor, apparently concentrating on the shield that he was generating in front of him.

The three Shinigamis approached further, noticing with growing wonder the bed of white flowers the rectangle was resting upon.

"Someone is lying in there," Renji whispered as the glow of the shield lessened the closer they got to it.

"Iya…" Rukia whispered, bringing her hands up to her mouth as she recognised the silhouette of the young woman lying peacefully with her hands clasped together on her chest.

"Orihime-chan…" Rangiku whispered softly. "Why did he bring her here?"

"Ano boke…" Renji spoke with a shake of his head before resting his eyes on Rukia who now kneeled next to her friend's inert body.

Rukia took a shaky breath and closed her eyes. "He must've had a good reason…"

"She needs to be taken to Urahara," Shinji softly said, catching their attention.

"She's already gone…" Rukia softly spoke with her eyes still closed. "Her chain link is completely gone."

Renji kneeled next to her. "That guy is right, though Rukia. She'd be safer with Urahara than here."

"There's nothing Urahara can do!" The younger Shinigami suddenly cried before taking a calming breath and sniffling a little. "There's nothing more we can do about her body," she then added softly as she noticed the pained silence that she had created.

Rangiku placed a hand on the younger woman's right shoulder. "I know this is hard, but it's no time to mix personal affairs with what is going on right now."

Rukia remained silent and averted her eyes from Orihime.

"Did Ichigo say where he was going?" Renji asked Shinji as he now stood again.

Shinji merely shook his head and walked over to Hachi. "There's another reason why we would prefer for you to take her back to Urahara. Hachi?"

The pink haired man nodded, "Ichigo-kun may not have noticed it directly, but her body hadn't reached the rigor mortis phase when he brought her in."

"It hadn't?" Rukia echoed in disbelieve.

"Rigor mortis usually occurs 2 to 4 hours after death, leaving all the muscles of the body rigid and nearly inflexible," Hachi continued, moving to stand now, "In some cases, when death occurred during sleep, for example, rigor mortis can stay out for a day or two."

The blonde Shinigami frowned, "We don't know exactly when she could've died—"

"2 to 3 days ago at the very least," Hachi answered with a small nod.

"Then what prevented her to enter rigor mortis so far?" Renji asked.

Hachi didn't answer but simply raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

The shield burst apart into a thousand pieces and for a few moments they all looked at the young woman lying there, looking as if she was merely sleeping.

"What did you do?" Rukia asked, approaching Orihime cautiously. "Why—?"

She was silenced by Renji who was fixing Orihime and urged her to look more closely.

Small bubbles of yellow light suddenly began to emerge from Orihime's body until they all floated right above her.

Rukia blinked,"W-what?!"

The small lights then began to disperse, forming the contours of the previous coffin again before filling the holes and enclosing Orihime in a new rectangular shield.

"Be sure, Hachi didn't do anything," Shinji said in response to all the varying expressions of disbelieve and utter astonishment the Shinigamis showed. He then looked at Orihime again. "She's the one carrying the next generation of Kurosakis."

"Nani…?!" All three of them exclaimed.

"I'll leave the technicalities for Hachi to explain," Shinji walked over to the door and was ready to exit, but Rukia suddenly leapt up and ran after him, calling him back.

"It's about Aizen," she said, standing in front of him now. "We think we figured out what his next move will be—"

"So did we," he replied back with a small smirk. "We know that he'll try and come after us this time. We're prepared." He walked off again with that.

"How can I be sure that you're not the one holding the Sphere of Distortion?" Rukia asked after him.

"Because," the blond Vaizard answered, still walking, "you know it all makes sense if we don't!"

"It makes sense if you have it, too!" she replied, "It's a motive for Aizen!"

"Kuchiki-san," he halted in his steps and turned to her a last time, "No matter what Aizen's motive to attack us is doesn't matter, because he _has _one and he'll come after us whether we have the Hougyokou or not."

"But do you?" Rukia insisted, "Because if you don't, then Aizen has it."

"We don't." Shinji said, "And Aizen doesn't have it either."

Rukia stood there in shock, "H-how would you—?"

"I just do and now you do too," he said and there was a slight tone of irritation in his voice. "I bid you a good afternoon, Kuchiki-san."

With her mind filled with more answerless questions Rukia returned to the room Orihime was lying in and took place next to Renji on the floor. "He says Aizen doesn't have the Hougyokou."

"Oushikuso ne!" Renji exclaimed, "He must be hiding it himself!"

Rukia shook her head, "I don't think he'd be lying."

"Then who has it?" Rangiku wondered. "Maybe it was destroyed?"

"Then why would Aizen have resurfaced?" Rukia said to her, "It all wouldn't make any sense…"

"Most of it doesn't make any sense to me right now," Renji quietly said, turning his head to look at Hachi who silently stood on the other side of the coffin.

"Hachi-san, please explain to us how all of this is possible?" Rangiku asked bringing her attention back on Orihime. "Her body _is_ dead."

"The child was conceived before her death, obviously." He kneeled next to Orihime and passed his right hand through the barrier to brush back a stray strand of hair off her face. "It may be a week or perhaps two old, I'm not sure."

Renji shook his head, "It's only a few days old and it can do _all of this_ already?"

"If Ichigo didn't know she was pregnant, how did you figure?" Rukia wondered.

"The minute Ichigo-kun stepped through my barrier with her lifeless body in his arms; I knew that Orihime wasn't there. We all felt she was gone, but we also noticed a feint Spiritual Pulse emanating from her. That's when we realised that even though her body was deceased, there was still a part of her clinging to a thread of life. We silently agreed to not tell him, partly in the supposition that he knew and partly because we couldn't have him lose control if he didn't.

The first thing I noticed was that her body was well conserved and nowhere near a decomposing status. I immediately placed her in a 3 layer- shield to keep the unborn child alive at whatever the cost and to limit the damages it could've had to endure.

I stayed up most of the night, registering the growing strength of the Spiritual Pulse until I deemed the danger of death passed. And then, this morning, I found out to my surprise that a small hole had been created in the base layer of the shield. The spell I had cast had been weakened increasingly on that spot, as if absorbed progressively."

"You think it fed upon it?" Rukia asked softly.

"Masaka…" Renji whispered in silent awe, "It can sublimate spirit particles and convert them into useable energy?!"

"Shinigamis use the spirit particles that linger in the air in the same way, but I'll admit, in a much slower pace than this…It must be a survival instinct, one passed down from its father, no doubt…" Hachi whispered, putting up a pensive expression. "At this stage of its development, the foetus greatly consists out of Reiryoku. Since its host died, it needed another source to tap energy from in order to survive…"

Rangiku laid her eyes on Orihime again, "So you're saying that it put up a shield around itself the minute it sensed Orihime-chan's death?"

Hachi nodded, "It probably managed to conserve her body for a short while before Ichigo-kun brought it here and I could give the foetus a new source of energy to tap from. However, it won't be able to grow properly if kept in a lifeless environment for too long."

Rukia nodded in understanding. "I see… We need to take her to Urahara in order to save her unborn child."

"Hai desu," Hachi confirmed with another nod.

"What I still don't get," Rangiku whispered as they now stood, "is when."

Renji turned his head to her. "When what?"

"When they conceived it," Rukia answered, watching how Hachi destroyed the barrier and invoked a new protective orb around the area of Orihime's lower belly. "I think I know."

"You do?" the redheaded Shinigami asked, raising one suspicious eyebrow.

Rukia nodded, "He said he dreamt of her a few days ago."

"It wasn't a dream?" Rangiku asked.

"I think she really came to him," the young Shinigami whispered with a loving smile as Renji bent over and scooped Orihime up from her bed of flowers and into his arms. "To say goodbye."

"That's where I recognise her," the blonde woman spoke with a soft smile.

They bid Hachi goodbye and left the Vaizard's lair to return to the Urahara Shoten to report this new turn of events.

* * *

Soon, after the three Shinigami left, Shinji walked out of the hangar. He had told his companions that he needed some fresh air to think. 

The reality, however, was that he had sensed a familiar presence earlier on when he had been talking to Rukia in the large entrance room. It had been faint, but it had been there without a doubt.

He now walked up until the outer barrier and halted, hands dug deeply into his pockets.

"I know you're there."

The wind blew softly and no movement could be witnessed from behind the shield, everything seemed to be completely calm. There was no sign of anybody being out there.

"You've been here ever since they arrived; don't you think it's time you showed yourself?"

A soft chuckle carried onto the passing breeze and Shinji now fixed his eyes up to the roofs of the surrounding buildings. Her silhouette was clearly recognisable from afar as she sat comfortably on top of a hangar's façade.

"Ohisashiburi ja ne, Hirako-kun," she whispered, crossing her arms underneath her large bosom and smirking wickedly. "Ogenki?"

"Just fine, thank you for asking," he replied with a slight nod of his head. "I like your new hair style."

Hime jumped off the roof and landed gracefully on her high heeled feet. "Ah well, it comes with the new post." She stood up right again and threw her long locks back so she could begin to walk in his direction.

"As the Queen of Arrancars?" Shinji said with a slightly derisive tone of voice. "Come on, you can do better than that."

The smile she had been wearing faded away a little, "You sure do talk big for a guy who's about to witness the extinction of his race."

Shinji chuckled her comment away, "What is it you came here for exactly, little Arrancar Queen?"

Hime now stood right in front of the barrier and lifted her right hand to touch it with her index, finding that the second she touched it a small electric discharge kept her from having any further contact with it. "What's this?" She asked with a small smile, eying him mockingly. "The security seems to have tightened around here, ne? Have the mighty Vaizards run scared?"

The blonde Vaizard didn't react and only stared at her, waiting for his previous question to be answered.

She pursed her lips and turned away from him with an amused giggle. "I figured that, since I was headed this way, I could pass by and greet you peeps, see your faces a last time."

"So you have chosen to become Aizen's puppet after all…" Shinji turned away from her as well and was ready to walk back inside the hangar. "But don't worry, Orihime-chan," he looked at her a last time, "there are many forces working to get you free."

She gritted her teeth at that and growled, "You're going to let me go after them?"

"What do you want me to do?" Shinji spoke calmly, hauling his shoulders. He did not plan to go into her forms of provocation. "I'm not your conscience and I'm not planning on telling a queen what to do or not. No matter how indecisive she is."

"What are you saying?" Hime spoke from between her teeth, eying him with cool anger.

Shinji grinned his teeth bare. "I'm saying that there's still hope."

She blinked at that, her scowl suddenly disappearing. Words and images suddenly filled her head.

_"You just forgot about it."_

"Nani…?"

Shinji only smirked as she took hold of her head.

"What are you doing?!" she cried, taking shaky steps back and whining in the process. "Stop it! Stay out of my mind!"

She then disappeared in black smoke, her tormented cries echoing on.

The blond Vaizard looked up at the sky and sighed silently. _"You must remember, Orihime, you're our only hope right now."_

* * *

A scream resounded in the darkness and she fell on her knees. Her eyes then opened and she whimpered silently at the biting cold. 

_"Orihime…I hope you can hear me."_

Orihime twirled around at the sound of the voice, not knowing from where it was coming from. She recognised it, but the proprietor was no where to be found. Why was everything so dark?

"Please help me!" She cried, clasping her hands over her ears as her own voice echoed back loudly.

_"Remember Orihime, remember what you forgot."_

"I forgot?" she whispered, taking an unsure step forwards, "Forgot what…?"

_"That you, Orihime-chan, hold the world in your hands…"_

She now stood in a large, white room with a sole, barred window high up against the ceiling. A comfy looking couch with plush pillows stood next to her on her left and a tray with untouched food waited right from her. Her body was clad in a white Arrancar outfit and her hair was brown again. She turned away from the wall and gasped as she recognised the room Aizen had used to keep her imprisoned in, before Ichigo came and saved her.

"Surprisingly, it looks good on you."

She directed her herself towards the entrance of the room and found to her grand surprise Ulquiorra standing there.

_What? Wait, but this happened already! How is this possible?!_

"When did you get here?!"

The fourth Espada only fixed her with a closed expression on his face. "Just now. Please cease your idle banter. There is news."

_No! Why is this happening all over again?! Why am I here?!_

Although she knew she had lived this scene before, it was as if she was trapped in her own body, listening to that conversation again that had silently given her hope when she had felt like the shadows of Hueco Mundo had already swallowed her whole.

"Your nakama have invaded Hueco Mundo."

Orihime remembered how she hadn't wanted to believe it; how she hadn't dared to even imagine it then. There was nothing that had given her a reason to believe that she would mean that much to any of them.

"Why…?" She was beyond surprised to hear her guardian imply the word 'nakama' in his sentence, not understanding why he would even think that the bond she and the others had was that solid. Surely, Ichigo and the others probably received orders from Soul Society to bring her back as a traitor.

Why else?

"Why, you ask?" Ulquiorra calmly questioned, eying her intently. "To rescue you."

_To rescue me…_

For some reason, after he had said that, an ardent shame took hold of her and she only had been able of repeating his words in disbelieve. They were coming to save her; they were willing to die to bring her back… and she willingly turned her back away from them.

_Despite feeling that bad…I remember… how grounded I felt then… How I felt like I could endure anything knowing that they cared that much…_

"To them no other reason is necessary."

_No other reason… Ichigo had no other reason… He gave his life for mine… His power of compassion and his trust lay entirely in my hands. _

The scene around her faded and she found herself in standing in a glowing green field. The sky above her was of the clearest blue without a single cloud in sight. She twirled around as she recognised the place as her interior world and was about to call out for her brother Sora when she suddenly stood face to face with an entirely black version of herself.

She cried out in horror and surprise and fell backwards, staring with angst up to this creature that looked down on her with amber eyes.

An abnormally long arm then shot out to her and clasped itself around her throat, lifting her up and holding her suspended in the air. Orihime gasped for air as she looked at her attacker, closing her trembling hands around the wrist that held her. She couldn't seem to look away from her cold eyes, whimpering in pain as she felt the grip on her throat tighten itself.

"Give it to me," the creature said, its voice sounding like a mixture of different ones smashed together.

Orihime gasped, "Where is Sora-nii?"

The grip on her throat intensified itself a little more and she cried out in pain.

"Don't play these games with me, stupid bitch, where is it?!"

Orihime gritted her teeth and rested her one opened eye on her defiantly. "I… don't know what you're talking about."

The creature chuckled and threw her onto the grass harshly. "Fine, then we'll do it this way."

Orihime watched, while coughing her lungs free, how the Hollow lifted her hands and how her nails began to grow. She began to back away from her, even though she knew she'd never get away this way.

"The Hougyokou, if you please, princess."

Orihime crawled backwards away from her, shaking her head. "I don't have it!"

Hollow Orihime smirked and threw her right hand towards her as if handling a whip. Her nails elongated and Orihime managed to roll away from them in time.

She scowled at her assailer and began to stand on her feet. "Why would you think that I have it?! I don't!"

A malignant chuckle was then heard and the Hollow drew her nails back. "Then I guess they made you forget."

"Forget?" Orihime echoed, taking a cautious step back.

Hime took a step closer and threw her hair back. "Come on... remember it... Aizen-sama showed you the Hougyokou solely in that purpose. He knew you'd try and deny its existence the moment you had the chance."

"What are you talking about...?" the other young woman whispered, shaking her head. "He showed me the Hougyokou out of good faith—"

Hime broke out in laughter at that. "My, my... so naive. Aizen-sama knew that if you managed to erase the Hougyokou, you'd be able bring it back in its original state, fully awakened, that is."

Orihime blinked now, realisation dawning upon her.

"Demo, that last part of his plan failed to be accomplished. You erased the Hougyokou, but were never able to bring it back because Soul Society managed to destroy Aizen-sama's Espada and overthrow Hueco Mundo, causing you to get saved during your friends' second rescue mission. Honestly said, I must say that that was a miscalculation from Aizen-sama's part, but somehow the hazard brought you back into the palms of his hands.

I suspect that it was the Commander General who modified your memory when you spoke with him about erasing the Hougyokou. I guess that by doing so, the old fart hoped to have the Hougyokou forgotten for eternity.

If Shirosaki never infected you with his hollow essence, I don't think we'd be having this conversation, let alone be talking about Aizen-sama."

Orihime sank through her knees now, understanding all that was at stake. "Sou na... Minna... it was all in vain...?"

Hime chuckled, "Of course not, princess. Everything you and your friends fought for led to this! And you should be proud, Orihime! Aizen-sama couldn't have risen from the ashes without you!"

"No!" Orihime whimpered, looking up at her alter ego. "I won't let him...! I can't!"

"Oh..." Hime whispered with played concern. "I'm afraid you won't have a choice, as it is now, I'm the one who controls your Reitai, remember? How did you like my little acting with Tatsuki-chan earlier?"

The brunette gritted her teeth and shot her an angry stare. "I won't let you have control over my soul any longer!"

_Ichigo's life and the sake of the world lie entirely in my hands…!_

Hime laughed openly now. "Dame da yo! You're no match for me, little princess! I was created from Ichigo Kurosaki's Hollow and I possess all of your abilities."

A black projectile then suddenly appeared next to her and she grinned. "All I need to do now is keep you busy long enough so I'm not bothered by you."

Orihime gasped and called her Santen Kesshun as the projectile was launched at her. The impact was heavy and she had a hard time keeping herself grounded, her knees shaking.

The Hollow giggled at this and spread her arms. "Tsubaki, Hanshoku!"

With growing horror Orihime witnessed how the projectile suddenly began to multiply over and over. She gulped and ordered for her shield to form a protective bubble all around her, ready to withstand the upcoming assault.

_I'm the one who knows how to bring the Hougyokou back… I remember now…_

Hime sneered at that and simply gave a small movement of hand as an attacking command.

Sweat trickled down the side of Orihime's face as she looked at the large, black swarm headed her way. She steadied herself and closed her eyes, letting the darkness swallow her whole.

_Ichigo... onegai, wait for me._

* * *

The clouds had quickly drawn together in a compact grey mass again, the clear sky of earlier now gone. 

Rukia had her eyes on Orihime who was still lying in Renji's arms as they sped their way towards Urahara's Shoten. It still felt like a surrealistic dream to see her like that. Her mind continuously needed to be reminded that her friend was gone and not just sleeping.

Rangiku silently watched Rukia from the corner of her eyes and sighed softly. She remembered how, five months ago, she and Orihime had celebrated the fact that Ichigo had finally made his move towards her. They had eaten so many sweets then, that they both had had stomach aches for two consecutive days. The young woman had reminded her of herself in a way. Her unwavering optimism and her sweet naïveté had brought her back to the days when she last felt like she truly mattered to someone. She had wished for her friend to have nothing but happiness with Ichigo and had silently prayed for her to never experience the pain and loneliness a broken heart could procure... No one deserved suffering of that kind. No valuable reason justified it either.

Realising that her mind drifted towards one particular person again, Rangiku shook her head and grunted, bringing her focus back on synchronising her flash steps with Renji and Rukia.

_"There you guys are! I was looking for you all over!"_

The trio suddenly stopped in mid-air, having felt a hostile presence looming around them.

_"I wonder where you're headed in such a hurry..."_

Rangiku took a sharp intake of breath and began looking around frantically. "It's her!" she whispered to her companions.

Rukia looked around alarmingly. "Orihime?"

"Iya," Renji whispered, tightening his hold on Orihime's body. "Much worse."

A soft giggle could then be heard and Hime appeared, descending from a black cloud that had materialized itself in front of them. "Hi everybody, ogenki?"

"What do you want, Orihime?" Rangiku spoke, taking a step forwards with one hand on her Haineko.

"Please, I've rejected that name already," she chuckled, waving her hand in front of her, "Call me Hime, it sounds more majestic."

Rukia stepped up next to Rangiku. "We have no business with you."

Hime chuckled and sat herself in the air, crossing her legs one over the other. "So? That doesn't mean I can't have fun with you guys." She tilted her head to side to look behind the two female Shinigami. "Ne, Renji-kun? Watcha hiding back there?"

Rukia unsheathed her Zanpakuto and pointed it at her. "That's none of your business."

"Oh?" Hime grinned, "Would you really attack me, Rukia-san? I thought we were friends?"

"I was friends with Orihime, not with you!" Rukia whispered back, squinting her eyes in growing anger. "You stole her away from us!"

"Hmm..." Hime pouted slightly and crossed her arms over her chest unhappily. "It was to be expected; even Ichigo-kun didn't hesitate to attack me last time." She then hauled her shoulders, "he was lucky I wasn't allowed to kill him then no matter how much he pissed me off. But I can't say the same about you guys, I'm allowed to kill you if I feel like it."

Rukia growled and took in a defensive battle pose, "You bitch..."

A grin cracked on Hime's lips and suddenly she disappeared, only to appear behind them again. "Whoa, you guys found my body!"

All three of them jumped away from her, Renji still holding Orihime's body protectively in his arms. "Yeah, so what of it?" he defiantly asked.

She only shrugged, "Nothing, it's but a corpse now anyway, right? But then again," she continued, putting up a pensive expression, "why go through so much trouble to just retrieve a corpse? Hmm..."

"Why go through so much trouble to just kill Ichigo?" Rangiku retorted, remembering her last encounter with Orihime the day before.

Hime grinned, "Because its fun!"

Rukia sneered at that, "Oh really? Isn't it just because Shirosaki and Aizen are playing you in the palm of their hands?"

"Watch your words, Rukia-chan..." she threateningly said, her smile now gone.

"Don't tell me you think that you matter to them?" Renji added with a disdainful chuckle. "You're nothing but a tool to them so they can get what they want."

"I mean seriously," Rangiku said in turn, "You look nice with your black hair and all, but let's be honest: What are the chances you'll be kept in their team with a commanding position? All you can do is heal and reverse time."

By now Hime had an infuriated look in her cold eyes and her Spiritual Pressure began to rise, electric sparks now revolving around her. "You guys will regret your words... Tsubaki!"

The black projectile appeared next to her and immediately launched itself in their direction.

"Now!" Rangiku cried and she and Rukia jumped behind Renji just in time.

"What...?" Hime watched how a large shield suddenly appeared in front of the redheaded Shinigami and Tsubaki bounced off against it. "How?!"

Rangiku took out Haineko and disappeared from behind Renji to appear right in front of the still baffled Hime with her sword raised high above her. "Are you sure you want to know?" she then brought her Zanpakuto down with swift strike, but didn't count on her to disappear again; consequently making her hit nothing but air.

Hime had appeared behind an unsuspecting Rukia now and chuckled, "Not really, but I guess that _this_," with her right hand she stabbed Rukia in the back, laughing at the shocked expressions of all the bystanders as her sharp nails came out of the Shinigami's stomach before withdrawing them quickly, "should be a good enough answer."

"RUKIA!" Renji hollered as he watched her fall to the ground ten meters below. He wanted to go after her, but suddenly found himself face to face with Hime's grinning face. A surprisingly strong hand then closed around his throat.

"Renji!" Rangiku cried and wanted to go to his aide, but suddenly found herself trapped in an orb-formed shield, unable to approach any further. "No!"

Hime grinned at her and lowered her left hand she had raised in her direction before looking at the male in front of her once more. "Please send Ichigo this message," she loudly spoke for Rangiku to hear as well, "and if you can't find him, just ask Uryuu about his father's secret training spot."

"What's the message...?" Renji hoarsely whispered, not wanting to let go of the body he still held in his arms.

Hime let go of him and before he even realised, blood was gushing out of a horizontal cut in his throat. She watched with a cold expression how his eyes went blank and he began to fall backwards towards the surface of the earth. She then turned to Rangiku who was hitting the barrier she was in with everything she had.

"Tell him," Hime emotionlessly said, face covered in little specks of blood, "that Orihime's time is running out and that by the end of the day another one of his friends will be dead."

She then disappeared and the orb burst apart, releasing Rangiku.

"Kuchiki-san, Renji!" She cried, taking out the emitter she kept hidden in the left fowl of her kimono. "Taichou! Please send Urahara-san over to my current position, we've been attacked and there are some serious injuries!"

Nothing but static came out of the small device and she tried again, but no answer whatsoever reached her.

"No! That barrier interfered with the frequency of the emitter?!"

She descended to the ground to where Rukia and Renji had fallen, now confronted with a cruel choice.

Who would she take back first?

"Looks like you could use some help, Matsumoto?"

She noticed a Jigokuchou fluttering by her and she twirled around only to be blinded by a bright light coming from a Senkaimon that had materialized itself behind her. The light lost in brightness a little as the gate began closed itself and she gasped.

"Ikakku?! Shuhei?!"

* * *

-Ano Boke: That idiot

-Arigatou: Thank you

-Dame da: Stop it

-Demo: But

-Hai: Yes

-Iya/Iye: No

-Jigokuchou: Hell Butterfly

-Masaka: Impossible

-Minna: Everyone

-Mou ii: It's alright

-Nani: What?

-Ne: an Interjection that can be loosely translated in English as 'So', 'Well', 'And?', 'Hey' or 'No?', depending on its position in the phrase

-Ogenki: How are you?

-Ohisashiburi (ja ne): Long time no see

-Onegai: Please

-Osoi: (Too) Slow

-Oushikuso: Bullshit

-Saa: In informal speech, it can be translated as 'come now'

-Sekai desu: That's correct

-Senkaimon: World Piercing Gates

-Sou nai: No way

**_Fun Facts _**

_1.Bleach facts._

I never really realised it before, but in both the anime and the manga, they speak about something that is called Reiryoku (Spiritual Energy). Up until a few days ago I simply thought it was the same thing as Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure), boy was I wrong.

I searched for the difference between the two and my quest surprisingly proved itself to be longsome and difficult, because I could not find a satisfying answer to my question. I finally managed to find a forum post on a site and it gave me this response:

**Reiatsu ("Spirit pressure"): **The energy in a soul that can be used to attack. The amount of reiatsu a soul has is linked with the soul's spiritual awareness, and the strength of its resolve. As long as the reiatsu and reiryoku of a soul remain strong, the soul will have a constant wave of strength. Reiatsu can become a shield to deflect attacks from the enemy if the defender's reiatsu is much larger than the attacker's.

**Reiryoku**** ("Spirit Power"): **The power obtained when you become a spirit. It is possible to be born with reiryoku.

**_Excerpts taken from Bleach Ban Forums – Bleach Terms_**

At first glance, the Reiryoku explanation did not give me a satiable answer, but when I analysed the Reiatsu explanation, I realised that Reiryoku can also be translated as Spiritual Awareness and/or Energy and/or Strength. And yet, I still found it difficult to understand the difference and that's when I suddenly remembered episode 117, where I recalled hearing Rukia say that due to her stay in the Tower of Repentance, she lost her Reiryoku and therefore couldn't sense Spiritual Pressure (Reiatsu) from afar.

It then made sense to me, after having read the (underlined) explanation for Reiatsu again, why she lost her battle strength.

Do you remember the explanation I gave for the Saketsu and the Hakusui? I wonder, if the Saketsu is the boost for Spiritual Strength, then the Hakusui is where Reiryoku comes from, right?

Does that make any sense?

Does anything from the above make sense?

I just hope I didn't mess you guys up with my use of those terms in this chapter!

_2.Other (story) facts._

**Orihime/Hime?**

You guys may have noticed that I use both 'Orihime' and 'Hime' to depict that fair-chested beauty we all know and love. Just so everyone gets it for once and for all; when I use 'Hime' in narrating speech, it refers to the Hollow. 'Orihime' refers to the perky and fun-loving girl. I hope everyone gets it now…

**About Shinji**

Do you guys remember episode 123, in which Shinji forced Ichigo into his interior world to battle his Hollow? Well, I kind of did the same thing here with Orihime and added my personal touch to it. Also, the anime inspired me to give Shinji a little bit of precognitive abilities, explaining why he knew about Orihime and the Hougyokou.

**About the title: Obsidian Queen**

Hollow Orihime's appearance in the interior world scene gave me the inspiration for that. I wanted her true self to be a completely black creature, like you sometimes see those sculptures in dark marble with light eyes. No need to explain why I wanted her in black, ne?

Also, I kinda liked to explore her sense of insecurity a little in this chapter; it foreshadows the things to come…

**_

* * *

_**

**_It's been exactly 1 month and 6 days that I updated, I know, but honestly, I don't want to keep apologising for being so late, I would like to have a life next to writing too, without implying that I don't care about you guys out there! I prefer to take my time and deliver a product of good quality than to do things quickly and with poor results._**

**_The story has many, MANY sub-plots and I need to take care of each one of them with extreme care or the final result won't be what I have in mind (I know exactly how this story will end)._**

**_So, thank you for being patient and wonderful readers and reviewers, it's an author's pleasure to write for an audience like you!_**

**_And oh yeah… I almost forgot. I was pleasantly surprised to find another Belgian out there who likes Bleach and Ichi/Hime as much as I do. A shout-out to you, dear compatriot, let me flaunt with my Dutch. (LOL)_**

**_Ik_****_ hoop dat je ervan genoten hebt, hé? Ik zal proberen om nog een Ichi/Hime te schrijven, waarschijnlijk een one-shot of zoiets. Laat maar iets weten, ok?_**

_Upcoming Chapter:** 10. Genesis – Return to Innocence (Rebirth)**_

_**

* * *

** _

To be continued...

**BDP**


	10. Return to Innocence

10. Genesis – Return to innocence

* * *

The dark content of the vase splattered against the white wall as the crystal shattered against it, the black calla lilies scattering all over the blank marble floor. 

Her naked feet ran towards another vase and she threw it against another wall, screaming her lungs out in pure frustration.

"How dare they?!" Hime yelled, picking up the black boots she had been wearing earlier and throwing them out through a window, adding more glass on the immaculate floors of her room. "I'll kill them!" She now grabbed onto a nearby chair and smashed it against the mirror standing next to her bed. "I'll fuckin' kill them all!"

Her enraged screams echoed throughout the entire Northern Tower of Las Noches Castle, while she continued to add new degrees of devastation to her room.

Shirosaki appeared in the opening of her room and watched silently how a crystal glass hit the opened door next to him. He put his hands in the pockets of his white hakama and calmly made his way towards her, dodging any flying projectile that accidentally came his way.

Hime was breathing heavily as she had suddenly ran out of things to throw with and screamed again as she could feel the anger within her subside and make place for a growing feeling of insecurity. She could hear _her_ voice loudly in her mind now whereas before it had been but a negligible whisper. Why was she still there? Why didn't she just give up already?

"You bitch!" She cried, falling onto her knees on the wet floor, holding on to her head. "Shut the fuck up! Shut up!"

Shirosaki kneeled next to her and placed his hand on her head in silent comfort.

She threw herself in his arms, trembling all over. "Make her stop…" she whispered through her gritted teeth, "Make her stop right now!"

He closed his eyes and held her close. "Visualize our goal before your eyes. Don't let anything else break through your resolve."

She took a breath and did as told.

Now it felt like the voice was screaming through her mind.

Hime cried it out again. "Shit! Why isn't she growing weaker?!"

"Calm down," Hollow Ichigo sternly said, "There's nothing a weakling like her can do to you, you're the one in control. You're the queen of your interior world, so squash her like the meaningless insect she is."

"I'm the queen…" A serene smile appeared on Hime's lips as she began to find her focus back, reaching the calmness of her mind once more. She looked up at him and they shared a smirk.

"Don't let your determination waver now, we're so close."

Hime nodded and silently watched him as he looked around the room. She couldn't help but think that every time she had a meltdown, he seemed to be by her side in an instant, there to bring her back on track. If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn that he maybe cared for her more than was good for the both of them.

That form of naiveté was not something she couldn't afford right now, thinking like that didn't change anything.

Hollows couldn't love let alone care for others; they had no heart to carry such emotion in the first place.

_Yet, don't you secretly wish he did?_

Hime growled and whimpered silently, taking hold of her forehead in order to cast Orihime's voice out.

Shirosaki was looking at her again and for some reason, she couldn't bring it up to look at him and instead roughly undid herself of the hold he still had on her. "I need to be alone now."

Hollow Ichigo raised a silent eyebrow and rose to his feet again, watching how she moved herself towards her large bed. He squinted a little in unspoken suspicion when she curled herself up in the centre of her bed.

He hadn't been oblivious to the growing lack of focus his little protégé had been showing over the past few days and he knew that things needed to accelerate in order to have his goals fulfilled.

Perhaps the time had finally come for him to step out of the shadows…

* * *

"Matsumoto." 

Her head shot up from where she had been resting it on her drawn up knees and she stood. "Taichou."

The white haired adolescent gave his Vice-Captain a sympathising expression before leaning against the wall next to the room they had brought Renji and Rukia in earlier. "How is it going in there?"

Rangiku sighed, "It's taking longer than expected because of Orihime's Reiatsu that is obstructing the healing process."

Toushirou closed his eyes and nodded silently. "I see."

"Taichou—"

He looked at her, "I'm taking Madarame with me to go find Kurosaki so we can inform him on the recent turn of events." A small smile then crossed his young features. "You seem to have had your share of action around here."

She shook her head in protest, "I can go with you—"

"Matsumoto," Toushirou sternly said, giving her a glare. "You've done enough already."

Rangiku watched how he turned and walked on. She sat herself back down next to the door and pulled her knees up to her body, resting her chin on her folded arms. Even though her captain didn't say it out loud, he had gotten the message clearly and she silently thanked him for being so perceptive.

She may not have shown it on the outside, but her insides were one shambled mess and apparently the ones closest to her were beginning to notice the trail of broken glass she was leaving behind her.

The back of her head hit the wooden wall as she looked up to the ceiling to blink back the tears that had begun to form behind her eyelids. She closed them and quickly wiped away the twin drops that rolled sideways her face, sniffling softly.

It's so easy to put on a smiley face and act like nothing bothers you and you don't have a care in the world. All you need to do is prevent from being alone with your thoughts for too long periods of time. They could betray you so nastily that the thought of it alone becomes a reason to run away from it.

Opening her eyes again, she looked around herself and then smiled in relief as she found no one standing around to see her brief weak moment.

The shoji then slid open and Yoruichi stepped out onto the corridor, finding Rangiku moving herself on her feet. "How does it present itself now?"

The purple haired woman sighed silently, and cast her gaze to the wooden floor. "Kisuke is considering the idea of sending them back to Soul Society, seen the fact that he doesn't have the adequate equipment to heal wounds like theirs efficiently."

Rangiku nodded in understanding. "If only Orihime was here…"

A brief silence then settled between them in which both women pondered on their current situation.

"Rangiku-san," Yoruichi then pensively said, turning away from her, "Perhaps it is time to consider the idea that Inoue is lost to us."

"What…?"

Yoruichi closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, taking a few steps away from the door. "We had a meeting earlier with Hitsugaya-Taichou, Madarame and Hisagi. The reason for their advent was to bring us a message from the Counsel of Captains. They've deemed that the time has come for us to take the proper decisions. We can't keep making plans in order to save Inoue when we know that time is starting to run out on us—"

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Rangiku exclaimed, completely dumbfounded. "Orihime is a companion, a friend to all of us! How can they forget what she means to us, to our side, just like that?!"

"It's exactly because of that that Hitsugaya-Taichou, Kisuke and I have taken this decision," Yoruichi calmly spoke, looking at her again, "Because she's our nakama."

At that Rangiku fell silent again and closed her eyes. _Our nakama…_The former chief of the MSC was right and admitting it felt like someone was burning a hole through her chest.

Up until now, almost no one had taken Orihime's feelings into account. The way she must've been feeling to be there and watch her friends get butchered by her own hands without being able to intervene or take back control over her own Spirit Body… Pure torture was the only way to describe it…

A fate worse than death.

The golden eyed woman nodded as their eyes met and she read the silent understanding in the Vice-Captain's pained eyes. "Soul Society must now usher an order for us to cease the rampage she's inflicting upon this world."

Rangiku nodded, not in the capacity of doing anything else but comply. "Then Taichou will go inform Ichigo about this as well?"

Yoruichi gave a court nod. "We know he's doing the very best he can to save her, but we're afraid that the feelings he harbours for her are clouding his judgement."

Rangiku silently had to agree no matter how much it pained her to do so. She had seen the absence of Orihime's Chain Link and therefore the impossibility to bring her back to her mortal state. Ever.

"Rangiku-san."

She looked up at the other woman, shaken out of her thoughts.

"Even though Hitsugaya-Taichou didn't say it directly to you, he deems it best for you to return to Soul Society as well."

Rangiku could only smile wryly at that. She had expected it in some way, and in truth, her captain had already said it somehow. If she couldn't participate in the missions and battles, what good was she to have around for? She was an emotional mess; there was no reason to beat around the bush about it any longer.

She gave Yoruichi an understanding nod. "How about Orihime's baby?"

Yoruichi sighed with a small relieved smile as she thought about it. "Kisuke says he'll build a gigai for it, so it can grow inside of its artificial womb. He'll also create a special Artificial Soul for this Gigai only."

"A special Artificial Soul?" Rangiku echoed.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes, "Knowing him, it'll probably be an overly motherly type of soul or something of that sort."

Rangiku chuckled at that and nodded. "Then the child will live?"

"I'm a hundred percent sure of it."

"Then I'm relieved to hear that."

Yoruichi nodded and watched the 10th Squad Vice-Captain take her leave with a somewhat compassionate expression on her features. "A warrior needs to cut his heart out in order to be as cold as the blade he wields… Matsumoto, you still carry yours and its bleeding is tearing you apart…"

She sighed as she realised that this was true for another struggling warrior out there.

* * *

A sweaty hand hit the white floor and the young orange haired male made an elegant back flip just as a fireball shot right next to him against a nearby wall. 

Ichigo landed on his feet and immediately held Zangestu in front of him to repel the flash of lightening that had been aimed his way. With a neat demonstration of Shunpo he appeared in front of his attacker, clashing swords with him in a frenzied rhythm until a large white crescent illuminated the training area.

"Ooh-wee!" The older male of the two exclaimed once the smoke had cleared, revealing him to be jumping from one leg on the other while he dusted off the right leg of his black hakama. "That was a little too close to my liking!"

Ichigo chuckled from his position in mid-air, pointing Zangetsu at his father triumphantly, "I told you I'd beat your ass and I'm not planning on backing down from that promise."

Isshin grinned at him defiantly before disappearing suddenly only to appear behind Ichigo again.

Planting his Zanpakuto flatly on his back, Ichigo sneered at the sound of steel against steel. "Is it me, or are you moving slower than before?"

The former captain grinned, "It only means that I can finally go full out on you now."

"Eh?"

The next thing the younger Shinigami knew was that a right fist collided violently against his left cheek, sending him flying through the enormous space.

"Shit," Ichigo breathed, having stopped in the air now and wiping off the blood on the corner of his lips. "Don't underestimate me, old man."

"Oh? Underestimate, you say?" Isshin chuckled and lowered his sword, calmly walking towards him. "I never did such a thing, be thankful that I gave you the time to build up your resilience and power by not using my full strength and speed on you. You're strong, boy, but for now—"

Ichigo lost him from his sight again until he felt a hand press flatly against his back and a growing heat that began to sting there.

Isshin smirked at the astonished look on his son's face. "—I'm stronger, so don't underestimate me just yet."

The fireball spell went off and exploded, filling a good part of the room with an impenetrable smoke. Ichigo shot out of the cloud and barely managed to come to a halt in the air when his father attacked him head on again with his sword.

"You bastard…!" Ichigo spoke through gritted teeth, pushing Zangetsu back against the other man's sword, "What kind of a disrespectful way of fighting is this?!"

Isshin shook his head in a reprimanding manner. "You still don't get it, do you?"

Ichigo growled and silently concentrated a part of his Reiatsu into Zangetsu. "Don't treat me like I'm some kid!"

A grin formed on the older Shinigami's features as he saw the beginning of the black manifestation of the boy's Spiritual force through his sword. "Bankai?"

Ichigo didn't answer but only released himself from their clutching sword position so he could have enough space. He brought Zangetsu down to point straight ahead of him and placed his left hand on the arm holding his sword, feeling how the white ribbons of cloth circled themselves around it.

"Go on boy," Isshin whispered, feeling how the space in the training room vibrated from the accumulated levels of Reiatsu that concentrated themselves into Ichigo. "You can do it, keep pushing…"

Drops of sweat were rolling down Ichigo's temples as he concentrated harder in an effort to reach the Reiatsu levels required for him to reach Bankai. With the Lethality Stone that kept absorbing his Spiritual Energy the task proved itself to be nearly impossible, but he had managed to fight his father with enough Reiryoku for a whole day. The more he pushed up his Reiatsu levels, the more it got absorbed into the walls surrounding him. All he needed to do was to compensate the amount that was going to get absorbed without loosing his focus, for that could mean that he'd lose all of his strength in a heartbeat, or so his father explained.

"Come on, just a little more!" He shouted, boosting his Reiatsu up further. "Almost… there…"

Isshin took a step back to stand up against the continuous blasts of Spiritual Energy that threw themselves his way, smiling proudly. "Even if you don't manage to attain Bankai here Ichigo, you've most definitely managed to increase your Reiryoku level exponentially. An impressive feat, without a doubt."

"GRAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The white room filled itself with an enormous surge of blinding light, leaving even the former Captain in awe.

"BAN-KAI!"

_Amazing... what a remarkable strength of will…_Isshin thought, watching a whirlpool of pure energy concentrating itself around Ichigo and feeling the air loading itself with a nearly unbearable pressure that would leave any normal being gasping for air. It was only when a particular sound caught his hearing that he knew for certain.

Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure was too much for even this room to contain.

He rolled his eyes to the wall right from him and found what he had expected to see.

The normally flawless wall now had a fissure of medium length in it.

"Damn."

"Whatcha looking at, old man?" Ichigo now appeared right in front of him with his Tensa Zangetsu readily pointed in his direction, obstructing the older man's view of the wall. "It's here your business is at!"

Isshin closed his eyes and without an apparent effort, pushed the tip of the black Katana to the side with nothing more than the point of his left hand index, calmly walking his way to the wall. "I think this'll be enough for today."

"But—"

"Besides," Isshin continued, now looking at his son with a small smile, "I think we have company." He then approached the wall further and a small wince appeared on his face as he looked at the damage the wall had endured. _The son of his father, huh?_

A door in the distance opened and closed and both Shinigamis watched how the Tenth Squad Captain and the 3rd Seat officer of the Zaraki Corps stepped into the room with grim expressions on their faces.

* * *

The sound of chirping crickets carried through her opened window as she stared at the waning moon up into the starlit, nocturnal sky. Dancing shadows flowed on the wooden walls of the room as the sole candle swayed in the small breeze that passed by. 

Sleep had decided to forsake her and she abided herself to the fact that she wouldn't find it tonight. She turned in her makeshift bed and was about to blow out the candle when she noticed a moth fluttering close to the flame, sure to get burned. She caught it gently in her hands and stood up to set it free through her opened window. Her eyes followed it until it disappeared and then she turned to her room again, only to gasp in surprise at who she found standing in her opened doorway.

"Like a moth to a flame, huh?"

Rangiku sighed out softly and pulled her yukata closer around herself. "They don't know that the flame can hurt them."

"Right." Gin smiled gently, but didn't move from his position by the door.

She kneeled next to her bed and began to tie her long golden hair back in a bun. "Was there anything you wanted to inform me about?"

"I hear you'll return to Soul Society tomorrow with Rukia-chan and Abarai-kun."

The last pin went into her hair and she lowered her arms, giving him an indifferent look. "What about it?"

"Can I come in?"

"No."

He chuckled softly in slight embarrassment and scratched the back of his head. "Rangiku—"

"You've lost the right to call me by my first name a long time ago, Ichimaru-san." She stood now and walked over to her door and placed her right hand on the shoji, beginning to close it. "Oyasumi—"

The door stuck suddenly and she realised he had placed his foot in between.

"I've lost so many things, it's a fact I can't ignore." He took a step closer as she rolled her eyes. "Not even if I tried."

Rangiku closed her eyes and shook her head, feeling a headache coming on. "Please. Stop. I don't have time for this—"

"Let me in," Gin whispered, his face a mirror of his inner torment.

Her eyes opened and she shot him an ice-cold glare. "Don't make me restrain you, because I will." And with that she shut the shoji-door, not caring if the foot was still there or not.

She turned and walked back into her room, awaiting the sound of his departing footsteps.

But then, the door slid open and he stepped in, closing it behind him again.

"What—?"

"How long do you plan on running?" Gin spoke softly, walking up to her while she stepped back in silent consternation. "I thought that used to be my job."

Rangiku gritted her teeth and lifted her right hand in front of her, letting a few electric sparks appear as she prepared to fend him off with violence if she had to. "I won't say it again," she threatened, "Get out."

He never stopped approaching her and finally halted once her hand pressed against his chest, right above his heart. "Go ahead; I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon."

Her breath hitched in her throat as he placed a hand on her wrist and held her hand to his chest. "What…?"

"I broke your heart," Gin whispered, taking a step closer, noticing silently how her arm retreated as he did. "I betrayed your trust…" He could now feel her erratic breathing against his face, while she couldn't but look up at him, knowing that her weakened barriers were beginning to give away completely.

"Rangiku… "

She tried to push him away, she wanted for him to leave her alone, for him to not see how much his last departure scarred her already wounded heart. But most of all she didn't want for him to know that she had always… always—

"Oh God…!" She whimpered, pulling her hand out of his grip and falling on her knees on the futon with her back to him. Her breathing was coming in small gasps as she tried to keep herself from crying, wishing now more than anything that he wasn't standing there at all and that she didn't feel the way she felt for this man that had trampled and crushed her heart so many times.

Gin kneeled behind her and placed his hands on her shivering shoulders. "I'm sorry."

She began to laugh bitterly at that and the first tear finally rolled down her right cheek. Rangiku turned to him and punched him in his face hard.

He stumbled backwards and held on to his sore left cheek. "That one was overdue…"

"Shut up!" Rangiku exclaimed shakily, angrily wiping off the tear from her cheek. "I can't handle this right now, I just—" her voice grew unsteady and she looked away. "What do you want from me…?! What more of me do you want to tear apart? To shatter? God…"

"I never meant to hurt you like this, Rangiku…" Gin whispered, moving himself to sit on his knees. "I wanted for you to know this before you were to leave tomorrow."

No matter how much she had wanted to ignore it before, it really pained her that she had to leave now that she met up with him again, but at the same time it relieved her that she was going so she wouldn't have to deal with her tormented feelings.

She didn't respond to him and only scooted away, holding the folds of her yukata firmly against her chest.

"And also, that this could be the last time I'll ever see you. I wanted to see your face at least once before that." Seeing that she wasn't reacting at all anymore, Gin nodded in understanding and began to stand. "I always used to turn my back to you in a vain attempt to hide my true self and to protect you from harbouring these feelings… Guess I failed you, once again."

"You wanted to protect me from yourself?"

"For as long as I can remember, you've always been the one," Gin whispered, his grin fading a little as he stared outside the sole window. "I never thought you'd return what I felt, and when I found out that you did… I got frightened."

Rangiku turned to him now, "All I ever wanted was for you to tell me you cared, even if just once. I needed to feel that my childhood friend was still there. I saw everything we shared go up in smoke when you joined Aizen, I couldn't understand."

"I couldn't return what you felt then," he spoke softy, kneeling in front of her once more. "I couldn't jeopardise the mission. Rangiku, believe me when I say that I do care, so much that I preferred to detach myself from you in order to protect you from what I had become."

Rangiku shook her head as she understood it all now, not caring anymore if the tears were rolling down her face. "Can't you see? Even when you turned away from me, I still loved you. I still waited for you to come back to me. I just wish you had told me what you were planning, I wouldn't have said anything!" she closed her eyes as he reached out to touch her face with his right hand, leaning into the warmth it radiated without touching her. "I would've waited! For you!"

The silver haired male gulped slightly and brushed away one of her tears with his thumb. "Rangiku…"

"You broke the last trust I had in you on that day…" she whispered, reaching up to the hand that rested against her cheek now and pulling it off her face slowly, "I have nothing left to give you, Gin."

He didn't say anything, but only gazed into her quivering pools of blue, knowing that there was nothing he could ever say that could make it okay. So he only stared at her, feeling his breath catch in his throat as he admired her fair-haired beauty, thinking of how beautiful she had always been both on the inside and out. He had been around so much ugliness in the past year that her appearance soothed his heart like a breath of fresh air. The man he had become did not deserve her anymore… or perhaps never did.

If only…

They could've been so happy together, he knew that now.

And then, without giving it a second thought, his lips lowered on hers and he claimed them in a passionate kiss. "I don't need for you to give me anything, Rangiku." He whispered against her lips, looking at her dumbfounded face, "Let me give you what you've been wanting for so long now."

Rangiku was breathing hard, realizing that her heart was beating like mad inside her heaving chest. Her lips tingled and the smell of his skin so close to hers made her head spin, taking her into a whirlwind of erotic desire. She had dreamt of this, passionately fantasised of him kissing her like this and taking her breath away.

Before she got the time to realise, he kissed her again, this time longer and deeper, slowly making them fall backwards on the small futon, her hair now freed from the clips she had previously put in there.

Gin took her in wordlessly as she panted beneath him, the generous swell of her breasts threatening to make the folds of her yukata completely slide off her skin now that he had loosened the sash that kept them together. Her lips were red and deliciously swollen and her eyes closed in silent anticipation.

He realised that they both needed what was about to happen, whether the circumstances were right or not. There was only one thing that he was certain of and he wouldn't let the chance pass him by.

His lips planted themselves in her throat and she arched her back, moaning softly at the feel of his obvious state of arousal pressing up against her right thigh. She had felt aroused men against her body before, but with none of them did she get this electric feeling of all-consuming desire that began to take her over. Tomorrow seemed so far away now and he was all she craved for.

He retreated, their eyes met and she gave him a nod, silently telling him to go on. His hands reached for the folds and the robe fell open.

Breath catching in his throat, Gin felt the raw desire that took him over, his eyes gazing at her now naked body and voluptuous curves hungrily. His hands soon followed the path his eyes had already taken and he ran them up her thighs to her hips, paying attention to the slight gasp she voiced before moving up further to touch the graceful rounding of her large breasts, letting his fingertips ghost-touch the areas around her erected nipples.

She watched impatiently how his hands caressed her, biting back moans with every small contact he made. "Gin…" her body arched up to him in an attempt to satisfy the longing he was only making worse, "Stop the teasing…!"

He chuckled low in his throat and lowered his head, tentatively letting the tip of his tongue stroke against one rigid bud while he let his right hand slide down her body until he reached the apex of her thighs.

Rangiku bit her lower lip as his finger entered her moist warmth and winced slightly when he slid inside, breathing in soft gasps. Her right hand fingers were playing in his hair, holding him close to her, urging for him to continue. "Gin…"

His ruby eyes opened and he locked eyes with her pleading ones, beginning to stroke his inserted finger in and out of her in an agonizing slow pace. Her tormented, yet pleasure struck face aroused him more and he grinned in amusement as she viciously pulled his hair in silent protest. Another finger found its way within her and before she could even begin to moan or cry out, he covered her lips with his in a sultry kiss, drinking in all of her passionate responses.

Whether it was because of his long and nimble fingers working within her or his constant teasing and breathtaking kisses, Rangiku felt like she was approaching her first climax and fast. She didn't want to get to that peak alone; she needed and wanted him to be with her.

Gin was attentively watching her and noticed the small spasms that were taking hold of her, indicating that she was nearing that much coveted point of no return. Her soft whispers and high pitched gasps were driving him insane and yet he couldn't bring himself to take her. He had wanted to do it for so long and now that he had the chance, an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy began to take hold of him and he felt more and more unworthy of her.

A trembling hand was then placed against his left cheek and he looked into her reassuring eyes, reading her understanding there. "Rangiku—"

"I know." She closed her eyes and smiled, "Perhaps we are moving too fast, ne?"

He cracked a smirk at that, they both knew that waiting for this night for over 40 years was hardly moving too fast, but he appreciated the fact that she choose not to voice his worries.

"This may be the last night we get," he whispered, "and I want you to know that after all of these years, you were the only woman on my mind and in my heart."

She sat up and nodded, cupping his face in both her hands. "You don't have to say it, Gin. I know it now and I always will. You just need to know that no matter what you've done and no matter where you're going, I'll be waiting for you to return to me. It's how it's always been and I know that it's fine this way."

A strange, elated feeling grew within him and he took her in his arms, holding her tightly to him. "This is not what I wanted for us, believe me."

"Mou ii, anata…" Rangiku whispered back, burying her face in the crook of his right shoulder and neck. "It's fine this way, because you're the only one that I want."

He laid them back on the bed, facing each other without saying anything. Even if they didn't consummate their love, knowing that it was there was enough.

Just being together now, after all these years, was enough.

* * *

His eyes were staring blankly to the floor now that the initial shock had subsided. It was like his brain had short-circuited and he couldn't but stare stupidly to the broken, white floor. 

The door shut itself in the distance and he barely noticed, still not believing what he had just heard.

Tatsuki was in danger, Rukia and Renji had been taken out and Orihime—

"Maybe you should go to her."

Ichigo slowly turned his still flabbergasted expression towards his father who was sitting on an elevated platform a few meters away from him. "What—?"

"Go to her and to your friends."

Ichigo closed his eyes and averted his gaze now that a new feeling of shame washed over him.

"There was nothing you could've done, boy. Stop beating yourself up about it." Isshin jumped off his platform and walked over to him. He reached out a hand to his son and helped him to stand. He then placed his hands on his shoulders and smiled at him. "You've proven to me that with enough will power you can accomplish whatever you want. I know you can save Orihime-chan as well as Tatsuki-chan. And I'm certain that both Renji and Rukia don't blame you for what has happened to them."

A small smile appeared on the younger Kurosaki's face and he nodded reluctantly. "Thanks, I guess."

Isshin grinned and tapped him over his shoulder rather harshly, nearly sending him flying across the room. "I can't wait to be a grand-dad! Ha ha ha!"

Ichigo rubbed over his sore right shoulder with an annoyed expression and rolled his eyes. "Like there'd be a chance in Hell that I'd let you get anywhere near it!"

He laughed, "Oh, I'll find a way around that! I just hope it gets the good looks of its mother and my intellect!"

"And why would it get _your_ intellect?! It's my child!"

Isshin shrugged innocently, "Those things tend to skip a generation…"

Ichigo had his mouth open to reply, but refrained himself as he realised that there was no point to it. He did pray however that the baby didn't get its grandfather's intellect or the entire Kurosaki humour for that matter. With a rather awkward feeling of amusement he then began to make his way to the exit.

* * *

The park was abandoned during this time of the evening, the waning moon shining up in the starlit sky casting eerie shadows on the fountain she had been told to wait at. It was a quarter past ten at night and she should be lying in bed to prepare for the Karate Tournament of tomorrow, but Ichigo had insisted on meeting her here, saying that it was important for them to meet. Normally she would've gladly stood him up, but after her morning with Orihime and the things she had heard from her about her relationship with him, she couldn't let a chance for beating him up just pass her by when it proposed itself to her. 

So there she was, waiting and realising that he was already running late. "Shit, Kurosaki!" she whispered, standing up and getting ready to leave. "To Hell with you!"

"Jeez, I'm only a minute late."

Tatsuki turned around and found him leaning against a tree in the distance, wearing white pants and a black hoodie that covered his face. He then began to walk towards her, his hair falling in such a manner that she could impossibly see his eyes. The only thing she could see, was that in the light of the moon, his skin seemed to be sickly pale and his hair, she now realised, although still characteristically his, was also of a pale white colour.

"Kurosaki?" She called, squinting her eyes, "Is that you?"

He only grinned and she suddenly felt an indescribable angst take hold of her. She couldn't move a muscle and simply fell to the ground on her knees, her body trembling all over. It felt like that time… when those two monsters appeared in this same park so many months ago. It was that same oppressing pressure…

The creature then stopped right in front of her and looked down at her. If she had been able to scream, she would've, and hard, because his eyes— they we're— she couldn't look away and it felt like her soul was being sucked out of her body right then and there.

"Hi, Tatsuki." The creature grinned and grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and pulled her up easily like she was a bag of potatoes. "How I've longed to meet you in person."

"Who…?" she managed to voice out, balancing on the verge of unconsciousness.

"Why it's me, Ichigo, who else?" He chuckled, "Ready for lights out?"

The last thing Tatsuki saw was a pale hand with black nails that shot out towards her and a flash of something white before she tumbled into the darkness of her subconscious.

* * *

With a startled gasp, she awoke, her body shivering from an all consuming fear, the angsty rhythm of her heart thumping loudly in her ears. 

The grass beneath her body felt soft against her naked skin and it would've felt comforting if she hadn't been her current distressed state.

She emitted a soft whimper as she strained her bruised body to move, the many scrape wounds on her exposed backside glistening from the mixture of sweat and blood. Her head then lifted and she observed her surroundings wearily, soon realising that she was alone in her interior world.

Orihime managed to move her naked body into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around herself in a futile attempt to cover herself. The air that usually felt gentle and warm now felt cold and stung her flesh, making it hard to breathe. She instinctively knew that the Hollow had taken over a larger part of her soul, for she felt as if every second that passed made her weaker.

Pulling her knees up to her upper body, Orihime hugged herself and cried, knowing instinctively that no matter what she would do now nothing would prevent Ichigo and the others to meet their untimely demise.

"Tatsuki-chan… I'm so sorry…"

A chilly wind flew passed her and she trembled more, casting her teary eyes up to the grey skies of her prison.

_"Orihime…"_

Orihime froze briefly and looked around, having recognised that voice. "Sora-nii?" She whispered hesitantly, "Sora-nii, is that you?"

She couldn't see him anywhere, only the grass that was swaying in another chilly breeze was staring back at her.

_"You fought bravely, Orihime-chan…"_

"Sora-nii?" She called again, worried now that she heard the exhausted tone in his voice. "Where are you? Please answer me!"

Silence was her only reply and she crawled upon her feet, her hair flapping behind her in the suddenly increasing wind around her. She was numbed by the piercing cold, but she wouldn't let it stop her, not now that she had found back a little speck of hope with the sound of her brother's voice.

_"Orihime… I couldn't protect this world for you…"_

She frowned as she tried hard to hear him over the howling wind. "Wait! What does that mean?"

It was only when she cast another look around her that she noticed the full impact of the battle she had lost against her Hollow.

In the distance, the fields of green were beginning to disintegrate; big chunks of earth detached themselves from the scenery and simply vanished. The destruction was occurring all around her and soon she realized that only a circle of roughly 30 feet in diameter was left and that she was standing in it, too petrified to move.

_"Don't be frightened, though, Orihime…"_

"There's nothing left…" She whispered, sinking to her knees.

_"Orihime… there's still hope. The grass around you is proof of that…"_

Orihime sniffled and shook her head, "But I'm trapped here… I lost to her and I have no power left in me!"

_"That's not true… How else do you explain me being here?"_

She opened her eyes and looked up, finding her brother now standing in front of her with an encouraging smile on his tired features. "Onii-chan…"

He kneeled next to her and took off the blue vest of his ensemble and covered her with it. "Orihime, I am the physical manifestation of your Shun-Shun Rikka. As long as I am here, your powers are as well."

Big tears rolled down her cheeks and he took her quivering body in his arms. "I couldn't appear before you because you believed me to be gone…"

Orihime whimpered and broke down in heartbreaking sobs. "Everything is lost… They entrusted me with this one mission and I failed. I failed miserably…"

"I wouldn't say that," Sora whispered back comfortingly, "Look."

He gestured around her and they both saw the transparent shield of golden light that was enclosing the small area they were both in. "As long as we keep this one spot protected against her, her mind will never be at ease. And that, Orihime-chan, is your ticket to defeating her."

It was like a light illuminated her features and she stared at him, a small smile slowly forming itself on her lips. "I can enter her thoughts…"

Sora nodded. "You could use her moments of weakness to take over, just like she did with you before."

"Give Ichigo-kun a fighting chance…" she whispered softly with a nod, realising even more what that implied now. She would let her determination waver no more.

Orihime began to stand again, despite her aching body and concentrated on her remaining Reiatsu.

_I won't admit defeat. Not now._

_Not yet._

* * *

Shirosaki licked the small flesh wound on the side of his right hand clean as he watched his alter ego standing a few meters away with and unconscious Tatsuki in his left arm and his Tensa Zangetsu in his right hand. 

"What took you, partner?"

"Sorry, familial duties." Ichigo answered back, placing Tatsuki on a safe spot between the trees behind him. "How about finishing this somewhere else?"

Shirosaki grinned evilly and rolled his eyes, "You're still as considerate as ever aren't you?"

"You tell me," Ichigo smirked back, walking away from Tatsuki without breaking the eye contact he had with his other half, "aren't you the one who knows me best?"

The other chuckled and shrugged, "We _have_ been apart for some time now…"

"True…" Ichigo admitted, furtively letting his eyes go around his surroundings.

"She's not here."

Ichigo smiled, "Oh?"

"What would you have done if she was?" Shirosaki asked smugly, "Killed her?"

A grim smirk appeared on the orange haired Shinigami's face. "If necessary."

"If necessary?" Shirosaki cackled, "Whoa, there really is a tin line between love and hate…"

"How would you know? You've only experienced one end?"

Shirosaki extended his right hand and out of nothing, his white Zangetsu appeared in it. "Hn. How would _you _know?"

Ichigo took in a battle stance and tilted his head to the side, "Don't tell me you have?"

Shirosaki followed his lead and raised his sword. "Let's just say that any man would fall in love once they've had a taste of Orihime's sweet cherry…"

At that Ichigo's smile disappeared and his eyes began to glow dangerously. "I'll make sure you never resurface again, you pathetic piece of shit."

"Bring it, wuss."

A blast of white light then illuminated the dark park as Ichigo released his Reiatsu, letting it tremble in the nocturnal air with all of his killing intend concentrated within it.

Shirosaki's grin disappeared and he took a steadying step backwards. "Seems like you've been training…"

Ichigo smirked and launched himself forward. "Impressed?"

Their swords clashed and they stood face to face. The Hollow pushed back against the black Zangetsu with a sneer and a disdainful chuckle, creating some distance between them again. "Hardly."

Ichigo lifted his sword and took back his fighting pose. "Scared then?"

Shirosaki only smirked back and then disappeared from his spot only to appear above Ichigo, flinging his large sword down. "Don't make me laugh!"

Their swords collided again as Ichigo brought his up to his face to receive the blow. "Then what's the matter?" he asked, adding more pressure on his sword so he could push back harder, "Why don't you go Bankai on me, partner?"

"I'd be touched if I wasn't annoyed by how predictable you are, Ichigo." he whispered back with a grin, "You're trying to give me a fair chance at winning?"

A loud laugh then sounded through the night and the orange haired youth shook his head, seemingly amused. "I'm passed that, aibou."

Shirosaki's eyes grew wide as Ichigo suddenly vanished from his sight. "What—"

Ichigo was now looking down on him from his airborne position above the park, the silver gleam of his reiatsu bursting around him. "I'm going to kill you if I have to, even if it means dying in the process. I'm going to erase you from this plane of existence and lock you away from good."

Shirosaki smiled smugly. "You bastard! What's with all of the confidence all of a sudden? You don't stand a chance and you know it!"

Ichigo eyed him coldly and then chuckled back. "Why not let Zangetsu be the judge, partner. I for one have had enough of this little chat." He lifted his Zanpakuto and fired a series of black Getsuga Tenshous towards his white haired counter part, having decided to go full out on his Hollow now that he had the chance. He watched how a large cloud of smoke masked his vision of him and smiled to himself before rolling his eyes to his right. "You've done enough damage; your little escapade is over."

The Hollow appeared, like Ichigo had expected, on his right with an infuriated look in his amber eyes. "It'll only be over when I say it's over!"

"Ok," Ichigo calmly said, turning to him fully, "but I say that that Gigai you stole is slowing you down quite a bit. Why not give me a challenge, ne? I'll try to let you live for at least 2 minutes."

Shirosaki began to chuckle and then burst out in an insane laughter. "You really are the worst, Ichigo. Just because you've had the upper hand for 5 seconds you feel like you can win this battle? You haven't realised it yet, have you?"

Ichigo didn't respond to him in any way, but only continued to stare at him coldly.

"You're already slowly dying, more with every minute you spend in that nearly completed Bankai form of yours." He grinned, "She _did _tell you about the dangers of going Bankai without me, didn't she—?"

With one flash-step Ichigo had appeared behind the Hollow and was now holding the sharp side of his blade against his throat. "I thought I told you that I'm prepared to do anything, even sacrifice my body, in order to destroy you and save Orihime."

Hollow Ichigo grinned his evil smile and closed his eyes, shrugging before using his Shunpo to release himself from Ichigo's hold. He appeared a few feet in front of him again, scratching the back of his head. "Well, that counts for you, but I for one would like to bypass the part where you drag me into dying along with you, at least, for now." He took in a battle stance and slowly began to lift his right arm to point his white Zanpakuto at Ichigo. His left arm then followed and he laid its hand on his already stretched out right upper arm. "Let's go, partner. Bankai."

All air was suddenly sucked out of the atmosphere and Ichigo gasped scant seconds before an enormous blast of Spiritual Energy exploded, creating a whirlwind of dust and broken off branches from the nearby trees, spiralling around the spot where Shirosaki was still standing.

Ichigo scowled at the oppressing Reiatsu that weighed down upon him and he readied Zangetsu in his right hand. "So you've finally decided to be serious?"

The Hollow cackled, "You think I'll just let you have her back like that? Only one of us can be present in that body of yours at a time. Since separating us weakens both of us considerably, I figure I'll just suppress you and lock you up inside of me…"

"Sounds like a plan," Ichigo replied with an equally defying smirk, "Let's see if you can manage to realise it."

They both disappeared from each other's sight only to appear a few meters higher in the skies, swords linked together in a deadly angle, their energies swirling around them and colliding violently against one and other.

"Wanna know who she calls when she's about to climax?" Shirosaki teasingly whispered, licking his lips while his eyes glared at him dangerously.

"It doesn't matter," Ichigo replied with a grin, pushing back with his sword, "because the creature you're fucking, isn't her."

"Ha!" Shirosaki yelled, releasing a white Getsuga Tenshou which Ichigo dodged but barely. "Says you, partner! The Hollow within her is as much a part of her as I'm a part of you!"

"Asshole!" The young Shinigami cried, firing an array of black Getsuga Tenshous his counterpart's way. "The Orihime I know would never approve of the things you've done to her!"

Hollow Ichigo dodged most of the attacks aimed his way until he was standing right in front of him again. "She doesn't need to approve of it…" he murmured, eying him wickedly, "As long as she's satisfied, it doesn't really matter, does it?"

A fraction of a second later, Ichigo knew he had been hit.

He turned his head to his right shoulder and the pain commenced to manifest itself in waves of searing heat that practically numbed his right arm movements.

"Shit!" he cursed underneath his breath, holding on to his wounded member.

Shirosaki huffed mockingly as he now stood behind Ichigo, bringing his bloodied sword to the side with an impatient movement. "Finished already?"

Ichigo glared at him, "You seriously need to shut up."

The Hollow began to laugh, but that soon ended abruptly when a gush of blood erupted from behind his left shoulder. "What the—?"

Then suddenly, Ichigo vanished into thin air, like a mirage, and he could feel his presence looming behind him. "How—?"

Ichigo, who was by now breathing hard, managed to grin and pointed Zangetsu at him with his left arm. "Searching for an explanation?"

Shirosaki turned to him with an infuriated expression. "You haven't been honest with me, partner."

"Sorry for that, I guess. " Ichigo shrugged, "I should've told you about this new ability of mine, right? It's called Celerity."

"Celerity?"

He nodded, "Arrancars and Shinigamis can move as fast as the speed of sound. I've always been able to move faster than that with my Bankai. My speed was equivalent to that of light, creating the illusion that I was on different places at one time. But I could only move at that speed between a certain amount of distance, plus my bones couldn't handle the pressure provoked by the accumulated quantity of Reiatsu I needed to compress within myself to make it work.

Now that I know how to control a part of my Spiritual Energy effectively, I can send it out around me in doses, so I don't pressure my own body anymore. I can even make it so that my Reiatsu holds on to the light particles that float in the air, creating illusions of me before your eyes, so you can never see me use Celerity."

"Faster than the speed of light, eh?" Shirosaki smirked, groaning in annoyance. "I should've known."

Ichigo frowned as he saw him shrug and then turn away from him. "The Hell do you think you're going?"

The Hollow turned his head to him with a mischievous grin on his lips. "She's calling."

"What?"

He only kept on grinning and cocked his head to the side. "You can't hear her? She's being loud, though."

Then, with no warning, the air behind Shirosaki began to distort before tearing apart like a piece of paper to reveal a very pale and very infuriated Hime. Her red ankle shoes landed in the air with an echoing tap as if she was walking on solid ground. The rest of her outfit was black, from her skinny jeans to her wrapping short jacket. Her lips were coloured with red and her black hair hung straight next to her face and in a bang right above her black-lines eyes.

She didn't seem to pay attention to Ichigo standing a few meters away, who was paralyzed by an indescribable feeling of loss and hurt.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" She asked coldly, looking at Shirosaki.

"Having fun," The Hollow replied, walking around her to whisper in her ear, "my Queen." He then made sure that his eyes locked with the orange haired Shinigami's as he pressed a kiss on her cheek.

Hime then rolled her eyes Ichigo's way and huffed impatiently, "With _that_?"

"Orihime…" Ichigo called softly, ready to take a step forwards, but hitting a golden barrier as he did.

"Sorry baby," Hime said with an indifferent shrug while holding up her right arm in his direction, "not tonight, I have a headache."

"You heard the lady," Hollow Ichigo said, turning around in the direction of the gate behind them. "Time to go."

With her eyes still fixed on Ichigo, Hime reached her right hand out for Shirosaki to take as she turned.

There was a brief flicker of brown in her eyes and Ichigo froze.

_Don't follow me, not just yet, Ichigo. Trust me. Tell Tatsuki I'm sorry._

And as sudden as she came, she was gone again, leaving Ichigo alone with his heart thumping loudly in his ears.

That _was_ Orihime.

And for the first time in days, hope bloomed within him and it would be a while before he realised that his lips were carrying a heartfelt smile.

**

* * *

**

-Aibou : Partner

**_Fun Facts_**

_Bleach + Story facts_

**_"Celerity?"_**

Hn. I'm going to admit it, it isn't the most original of my invention thus far, but I wanted to give Ichigo a new ability that wouldn't change the basic form of his Bankai; high speed. The idea actually came when I was reading through volume 23 and 24 of the manga and I realised that since 'Sonido' means 'sound' in Spanish, it could have something to do with the fact that Arrancars move at the speed of _sound_ when they use that ability. And since it's practically similar to the Shunpo of Shinigami's, I deduced that they also moved at the speed of sound when using Shunpo.

When Ichigo goes Bankai, he obviously surpasses that speed, giving him the ability to be at two places at once, right? I thought it wouldn't be possible for him to be moving at the speed of light, for if that was true, he'd be able to bend space and time or something like that (yeah, I kinda watch sf-series a little). And that's where I got the idea to give him the ability to create illusions of himself (bending space and time), by being consciously in two places at the same time by moving so fast no one could see. Add his tremendous Reiatsu to it, and it would almost be like time-travelling (just by seconds though).

I really do suck at explaining this stuff, ne? But trust me, it's so much clearer in my head…

**_Ichimaru + Rangiku_**

I had no idea how or when I was going to let these two have their romance in this story. I was reluctant to write a lemon for them, because I knew it would feel strange to the story. They had to make up, I had no doubt about it, but to insert a classical lemon in would've been overdone, I think. That's why I made it an 'half'-lemon. When putting myself into Gin's character in this story I just knew it would be wrong to let them have sex. I wanted the feelings they have for each other have the front row without having to revert to a lemon. It's by the way, not how I want this story remembered; a collection of lemons.

No matter how much I love writing lemons… heehee.

**_

* * *

_**

**_Exams, work, eat, sleep._**

**_That's how my life's been for the past two months. Oh, I'm not complaining, but I know some of you are, right? Hn._**

**_Therefore, for all of the terribly impatient people out there I'm introducing a new feature to this story!_**

**_Dun-Dun!!_**

**_Starting from this chapter, I'm going to put a preview on my MySpace page of the upcoming chapter with each new chapter. The link to my page stands in my bio!_**

**_Comments are welcome and highly appreciated._**

**_Happy Reading! _**

_Upcoming Chapter: **Shattered Prison – Flight of the Golden Winged Angel**_

_To be continued..._


	11. Flight of the golden winged angel

11. Shattered Prison - Flight of the golden winged angel

* * *

The shoji door silently slid open and he stepped in, closing it again while he watched the sole futon in the middle of the room.

"So they finally found you…"

Ichigo moved closer to her and kneeled down next to her head without saying anything.

Rukia turned her face up to him and gave him a stern look. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Rukia—"

She closed her eyes and smirked dryly. "Ichigo. Don't."

He fell silent and clasped the tissue of his jeans in his hands, biting back a snappy remark.

"How many times do I need to tell you?" Rukia spoke, staring at the ceiling. "It's not your job to save everyone."

"I should at least be able to protect the ones closest to me," Ichigo whispered back harshly, "Keep other people from getting hurt if I can help it! It's a reason why I became a Shinigami in the first place!"

A gentle smile formed on Rukia's lips, "This is but a consequence of a choice I made on my own. I accept it, why can't you? Can't you grant me that much pride? Renji and I knew what we were getting ourselves into. We assumed the risks beforehand. Don't act like we should've asked for your permission. We acted alone; it's not your fault."

Silence filled the room after those words and Rukia spoke again, "What are you planning on doing now, Ichigo?"

The orange haired youth stood up and walked back to the exit.

"Ending this."

* * *

A door fell close in distance, disturbing the comforting silence.

Bright, green light then lit up in the darkness of the abandoned research vaults in the undergrounds of La Torre Azul and she stepped inside.

A large room then illuminated itself ahead of her and the many transparent cylindrical tubes that rose on each side of her began to emit a soft buzzing sound as they lit up and showed their many different contents that floated in a bubbling liquid. Some of them showed bits and pieces of humanoid tissues like ears, fingers or even eyes and other contained grotesquely mutilated bodies, some of them missing members, heads or even half of their original state.

She walked between them in search of one tube in particular and stopped in front of it as she found it, smiling up to the Arrancar she desired to see revived.

Her right hand index pushed down on a button situated on the control panel next to the tube and she watched how it got sucked up into a hole in the ceiling. She then turned and left the room only to enter another one that was adjacent to it, finding the tube lying horizontally above an open metallic container. Once she pressed the red button next to the metallic container, the tube emptied itself of its fluids through an aspirating pipe. It then made a clicking sound and a large mechanical arm descended from the ceiling to take off the glass.

She stepped up to the body that now lay on a plastic stretcher above the container, still dripping from the fluid it had been kept in. Her eyes went over the many wounds and the gaping flesh that had turned pale after the many months it stayed in conservation.

"Slain before her very eyes," she whispered, reaching out to touch the still moist strands of his light blue hair, "You were, by far, the most interesting and most valuable of all the original Espadas… Let me give you a chance for a rematch against your sworn enemy. I will eventually bring back the others, but for now—"

She closed her eyes and opened her arms, creating a golden shield that appeared between them and settled on top of him.

"Arise once more, Sexta Espada; Grimmjow Jaggerjack…"

"Did he ask for you to do this?"

Hime gasped and twirled around. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Shirosaki standing in the portal and she focused her attention back on Grimmjow. "What do you want?"

Shirosaki placed his hands in his pockets and strolled his way towards her leisurely. He pulled her hair back and rubbed the tip of his nose against the delicate skin of her right cheek, silently peeking over her shoulder at what she was doing. "If he wasn't able to defeat him then, I don't think he'll be able to do so now."

She moved her head away from his touch in an annoyed matter. "What do you want?" She asked once more, "You've been following me around all day, like some lovesick puppy."

He grinned and grabbed her left hip in his left hand, pulling her close again. "And so…?"

"It's annoying." She stated, looking him in the eyes now. "Not to mention disgusting."

"Oh?" He smirked, before turning his attention towards the body on the table. "You know, it seems like all of this has gotten to your head, Hime. Perhaps it is time for you to cool down a bit."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean _this_."

He placed his right hand fingertips against her left temple and she gasped in pain.

"I gave you some of my essence." Shirosaki whispered, watching her sink down on the floor with her widespread eyes staring up at him in pain and disbelief. Black veins appeared all over her face, joining into the tips of the fingers he still held against her. "What makes you think I can't take it back?"

Hime's eyes began to roll back and blood trickled out of the corners of her mouth. "S-stop…!"

"I would like it very much, my dear Hime, that you'd show a little bit more of respect from now on." He kneeled in front of her and removed his hand, watching her fall against him, panting heavily. He placed his right hand on her head gently and kissed her on her crown. "You're not exactly in a position to act like you do. My plans are beginning to fall into ruin because of you."

Hime was trembling all over and nodded. "F-Forgive… me."

"You know what? I will." He helped her standing and kissed her on her forehead. "But only because, unfortunately, I do need you."

Her watered eyes stared at the floor as she remained silent.

"So, tell me, what are you bringing old Grimmy back for?"

She turned towards Grimmjow again and called upon her regenerative shield once more. "Aizen-sama deems the time has come for the first wave."

"Hn." He chuckled, "Does he now?" And with that he left, leaving her on her own again.

Hime sighed in silent relief and lowered her arms, watching how the last tissues of Grimmjow's left shoulder formed back together, finishing the whole regeneration process.

"Can you hear me?"

Light blue eyes blinked open, slowly at first, trying to find focus with the blinding lights shining down on them. "Where—"

She bent over him and placed a hand on his head gently. "Welcome back."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes in the direction of the voice and immediately seemed to calm down as he saw her face. "How long?" He now began to sit himself up.

"Six months."

"It never truly worked, did it? You're still here."

Hime shook her head, "I was free, thanks to you. We had a chance of escaping and Aizen was defeated, but not destroyed."

The former Espada now turned to look at her more closely. "You've been infected."

She looked away and hugged herself. "An unlucky turn of events."

He silently gazed at her and understood without her telling him. "It will eventually overthrow you again."

"Yes." She whispered, tucking a black strand of her hair behind her right ear and fixing him sternly now.

"Therefore, time is of the outmost essence now and I need your help."

* * *

Her voluptuous silhouette formed through the thin fabric of the white covers she lay underneath, her long purple hair spilled all over her pillow and a part of it covering her beautiful sleeping face.

An affectionate smile was plastered on his lips as he watched her silently having been incapable of finding the soothing comforts of a worriless sleep.

A blood red sun was rising through the window behind him and he closed his eyes at the increasing heaviness that took over in his heart as he stared at her.

Aizen was coming.

She moaned softly in her sleep and turned over and away from the orange glow that streaked the bed, continuing her peaceful rest.

The attack would come from two fronts; the mighty Vaizards first, to assure that their defences are weakened before annihilated and then the already weakened Soul Society that yet had to recover from the last war.

Their chances for victory didn't look too promising, but they still had one small hope that lay with Orihime.

Shinji had informed him on the inner turmoil the Hollow within Orihime was struggling with and Ichigo told him what happened the night before when he met with her again. It was obvious she had a plan, one, he realised, was to be extremely risky if she attempted to do what he think she would.

It became clearer to him that Orihime had chosen a definite path to follow and that it looked like she was ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice for it.

He sighed out softly at the sad tendency his thoughts were bound to carry and leant back against the wall. Perhaps there wasn't much left for any of them anyway… nothing but sadness and death.

"Kisuke, come to bed."

His eyes rested on her again and he silently moved towards the bed to lie himself in it. She rolled to him and he took her in his arms, kissing her passionately on her sultry lips. Her eyes, her deep golden eyes glistened as she topped him underneath the covers, the rising sun behind her caressing her dark skin, giving it an nearly ethereal glow.

"There's still hope. If there's one thing those kids taught us, then it's that there's always hope." she whispered, touching his left cheek with the back of her right hand. "So lay with me and be the one I need right now."

He realised that he had never wanted her as much as in that moment that she was there sitting on him, welcoming him to release a little of his worries on her body. His hand went over her hips and she bent over, catching his lips with hers in one fluid motion.

He let himself drown into the pleasure she offered him and lay staring at her once more when they were finished, tracing the crease of her spine with his right hand index as she lay on her side fast asleep again.

A smile formed on his lips as he thought of what she said earlier and he pressed a kiss on her right shoulder.

"I'll always be the one you need… as long as I have you, I'll never want anyone else."

She opened her eyes and reached behind her to grab his hand. "I'll never ask for you to go."

He closed his eyes and buried his face in the crook of her shoulder and neck. "I know how you feel and it's mutual, believe me."

She closed her eyes and a single tear escaped as she pulled him closer to her.

* * *

The sun steadily continued its climb towards the Heavens, the first rays now peeking above the houses and the buildings in the distance.

A koi fish stirred the surface of the artificial pond and a bamboo leaf fell onto the grass next to his feet.

The air was charged with heavy anticipation, as if the events that were to occur were written in the stars above.

A damping cup of tea suddenly appeared in his eyesight and he turned to his right to see Ikkaku sit himself next to him on the porch.

He accepted the cup and took a careful sip.

"You'll be up and running in no time. You're a fast healer."

"Thank you for your words of comfort, but that's not what has been bothering me and you know it."

Ikkaku turned to his ancient student with a silent look on his face.

"How long are we going to be able to fend them off?" Renji whispered pensively, "The Court Guard is still short of 3 captains and its troops haven't been refilled yet."

The 3rd officer of the eleventh division folded his legs beneath him and took a breath while contemplating the serene garden. "So what do you suggest we do, Abarai? We run and hide?"

Renji closed his eyes and averted his gaze. "If I asked her to stay out of the fight, she'd laugh at me…" his voice was but a mere whisper carried onto a sigh of the passing wind. "She'd laugh at me and I wouldn't be unable to stop her from going and tearing me apart."

Ikkaku looked at his friend with distant concern before he spoke, "Kuchiki is not one of those women that you lock up and keep behind barred doors for safekeeping. She has a strong will and is skilled in fighting. Her sense of honour and self-respect are high at all times. She will not and cannot stay behind when the call for battle will be ushered." He paused to take a sip from his cup, "But I shouldn't even be telling you this anymore. You know this already."

The young Vice-Captain chuckled, "If I had wanted an obedient, nice little do-it-all wife, I wouldn't have fallen in love with a tomboy like her."

Ikkaku smirked and placed a consoling hand on his right shoulder. "You should be proud of her and respect her choice." He moved himself to stand, "And also consider yourself lucky to have found a woman like her, who wouldn't hesitate to die fighting while protecting the ones she cares most about."

Renji watched him turn and walk towards the shoji again.

"The Senkaimon will be opened at noon."

The door closed behind him and Renji remained, watching the sun creeping its way slowly yet steadily into the sky.

* * *

His head rose from its resting position on his chin and he opened his eyes sleepily.

"Good morning, Taichou."

A damping cup of tea was waiting in front of his face, carried by a slender, feminine arm. "Matsumoto." He sighed, taking the cup in a hand.

Rangiku stood up straight and smiled. "You slept out here all night?"

Toushiro stood up from his sitting position against one of the walls in the living room. "You and Ichimaru made it practically impossible for me to sleep in my room, don't you think?"

She blushed a little, but her smile didn't waver one bit. "Thank you, Taichou."

The adolescent growled a little as he stretched his pained muscles. "Don't be stupid, for what?"

Rangiku chuckled and bent over, planting a soft kiss on the silver strands of her young Captain, even though she knew he hated such displays of affection. She watched him leave the room with an irritated scowl on his features and smiled.

"Be sure to be ready, as soon as the Senkaimon is closed, we head out for the Vaizards hide out."

Rangiku grinned happily and nodded. "Hai, Taichou!"

"So you get to stay?"

Rangiku turned around and met Gin's softly smirking face. She lifted an eyebrow and smiled, "You left my room early this morning."

"I was in the garden," he whispered back, approaching her. "Perhaps I shouldn't have come to your room at all…? Your captain did not seem to be amused."

The blonde Shinigami hauled her shoulders and tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear. "He'll get over it."

Gin laughed silently and nodded. "He sure has made some improvement in his social skills."

She smiled gently and sighed, averting her eyes before taking a step away from him, facing one of the walls.

He scratched the back of his head in incomprehension of her behaviour and slightly cocked his head to the side questioningly, "Was it something I said?"

"I realised this morning," Rangiku softly spoke, looking up to the ceiling now, "that you never intended to return alive."

A surprised expression now grew on the ex-Shinigami's features.

"If I had returned to the Soul Society, you'd used your death as an apology, wouldn't you have?" Rangiku sighed, "Your comment from before only served to reinforce this feeling I now have. You're already making apologies again, Gin?

He stepped up to her now and took her face in his hands, making her turn herself around once more to face him. "True," he whispered, "you've seen through me. It is what I wanted at first."

"Gin…" Rangiku grabbed hold of his hands and began to push them off.

"But I'm glad I came to see you last night," his voice murmured low against her lips. "You've given me a reason to come back. To feel like I still have a purpose in this world."

She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her left cheek. "Don't lie to me—"

"I'm not," Gin spoke, looking her in the eyes as she opened them again. "Why would I want to part with you when I just found you back again?"

Rangiku sniffled and averted her eyes from his, but he made her look at him again and claimed her trembling lips in a gentle kiss. "I wouldn't be able to stand losing you again… Do you get that, Gin?" she whimpered. "Just return to me, that's all I want."

He embraced her and held her close, a soft content smile on his lips as he thought about what he was holding in his arms right at that moment. "I will, always. You're my home Rangiku."

She cried and laughed at the same as she returned his embrace, feeling like that the last persistent doubts that had lingered in her heart had begun to lose grip.

* * *

Grand chandeliers of pale gold hung in rows of six off the ceiling of the main meeting room, the large table of eleven empty except for the head chair standing on the outer left side of the room.

Slender, yet masculine fingers traced the outline of what looked like an ancient book before flipping the cover open to reveal an archaic looking handwriting on yellowed pages.

Calculating eyes skimmed over the cluster of words and sentences, the intricate diagrams and scientific analysis.

A door then creaked open in the silent distance and he remained seated, completely overtaken by the vast amount of knowledge the book was procuring him.

"Aizen-sama?"

Footsteps echoed on the black marble floor until they halted in front of the table next to him.

"Aizen-sama, our preparations are ready."

A pale hand moved the messenger's way was his only answer and this one bowed in acknowledgement before retreating soundlessly into the darkness of the room surrounding the table.

Silence engulfed the large space once more and the large book fell shut.

"Are you sure it's time?"

out of the shadows, a white shihakushou appeared and Shirosaki stepped out, his disinterested expression resting on the spot the servant disappeared a few moments ago. "You still don't have the Houkyokou."

A dry chuckle came from underneath the white mask the man spoken to was wearing and he turned to Shirosaki, a glimmer of gold shining behind the slits that covered his eyes.

"That shouldn't take much longer." Aizen now began to stand, gathering his long white robes around him as he did. "Hime's abilities are reaching their Zenith and therefore ending her usefulness to us."

The destruction of Las Noches had left its marks on the ex-Captain. His body had endured physical trauma's, leaving him with horrid scars and a now malfunctioning left leg. The mask he now wore provided him the necessary veil he needed to hide his now malformed face.

"Pardon me for saying this," Shirosaki spoke as he followed Aizen into the hall, "but I keep forgetting why you don't just cast an illusion upon yourself to make your appearance a little more easy on the eyes."

Aizen chuckled again though this time an amused tone could be distinguished. "Simple, my dear partner. I cannot.

Do remember that my Zanpakuto's ability only work on those who have seen me release it. You may ask yourself why I don't release it before all the Arrancars and the answer is that I have no desire to do so.

I want for them to see me as I am now, to see that I was not crushed down completely by Soul Society. Also, I need their trust and I cannot acquire that if I keep tricking their minds into believing what I want them to."

At that Shirosaki stood still and squinted his eyes suspiciously. "I may be born from an idiot, but that does not make me one. You never really released the illusionary bubble you had on them in the first place, did you? You made them believe you did, but you never did."

"You two are the only ones who know my real appearance. You and dear Hime." Aizen said with a minim smirk that went unnoticed, taking a left turn.

The Hollow crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm supposed to feel honoured?"

Aizen allowed himself a short laugh, "Did Hime start with rebirth of my ancient Espada?"

Shirosaki nodded, "Yeah, she was just about finished with number six."

They now stood in front of a grant double door. It opened itself and revealed an enormous courtyard bathing in the pale moon. They stepped through the doors and onto the balcony, greeted by loud cheers and cries as the white sea of Arrancars welcomed their leader.

Shirosaki let his eyes go over the massive amount of Hollows grouped beneath him with a disdainful sneer. "Ichigo is mine."

Aizen rose his arms and a new wave of excited cries and howls was heard, this time even louder than the previous. "Of course," the ex-Captain said. "Do as you please."

The Hollow grinned maniacally and turned around, walking back into the castle.

"The end is nearing." Aizen spoke softly, seeing how the first wave of Huge Hollows began to disappear into clouds of black smoke. "The end of the world."

* * *

The room was dark and cold.

Drops of water dripped onto stone in an indistinct distance, dripping with each second that passed.

His eyes that had been closed opened themselves slowly, his Zanpakuto resting safely against his right shoulder as he sat on a wooden box, waiting.

The sound of approaching footsteps then broke the silence and he turned his head to the sound.

"Everyone is ready, Shinji."

Shinji stood up from his box and nodded. "It's been coming for months now, might as well just reply to the invitation. Right, Kensei?"

Kensei watched how Shinji passed him by and held him back with an arm on his shoulder. "You've been awfully quiet about this, Shinji. The troops have noticed it as well."

Shinji smiled a little and turned around again. "As long as we can hold them back long enough, there's no need to worry."

"That bad, huh?" The silver haired Vaizard whispered, crossing his naked arms over his chest.

"What do you mean?"

Kensei sighed, "I wasn't born yesterday; I know trouble when it presents itself. Especially when you're trying to be so casual about it."

"Would you prefer me telling you that we're all going to die?" Shinji spoke softly before chuckling at his companion's paled complexion.

He walked out of the small room he had found his refuge in and stepped out onto the grand hall where the rest of the gang was grouped. All of them had their Zanpakutos battle-ready and serious expressions on their faces.

Shinji looked at them, one at a time, and smiled at each and everyone of them.

"I'm not going to lie." He started, "What we are about to face out there may well be the last battle we share as the group that we are."

"He's emptying Hueco Mundo…" Love whispered, looking at the window high up against the ceiling. He then grinned, "It's going to be one hell of a battle indeed."

"Let him," Lisa spoke, looking at her blade, "We've kicked his ass before, we can do it again."

"Yea, tell him Lisa-chan!" Mashiro cheered happily.

"Any word on the new set of Espadas Aizen supposedly created?" Rose asked.

Shinji shook his head and turned to Hachigen and Hiyori, the only ones who hadn't said a word yet. "Hachi?"

The large Vaizard bowed, "Inevitable as this fight is, I have no other words to add to what already has been said. I'll follow you, Shinji and aid to the best of my abilities."

Shinji bowed his head in turn and then looked at Hiyori who was looking away from him with her arms crossed over her chest. "Hi—"

"Ah enough with the crappy mushy stuff already!" She said with a scowl, still not looking at him. "You just make sure you don't die before the rest of us, dickface!"

She walked away with that and all had a tender expression on their face as they watched her go.

"She's never been too good at explaining how she truly felt…" Rose commented, beginning to walk towards the exit of the hangar.

"What do you expect, she's still a little girl." Kensei added, folding his arms behind his head and following the blonde Vaizard. "Hardly a woman."

"And you think you know a woman when you see one?" Love joked, chuckling as Mashiro jumped on his back.

"Kensei-tan hasn't had a woman yet?" She asked innocently, her big eyes ogling him questioningly.

"Ack— What?!" Kensei cried out, blushing furiously. "What has that to do with anything?!"

"Maybe I can lend you of my magazines, so you can get started." Lisa said, following the rest towards the exit.

"Urusai! I never asked for them!"

"I never said you did, I just wanted to help you out."

"DO I LOOK LIKE I NEED THAT SORT OF HELP?"

"Hey, I wouldn't be asking if you weren't…"

"That's it, draw your sword, right here, right now you little bitch! I'm gonna show you how NOT needed your help is!"

Shinji sighed and looked up at Hachi who was the only one still standing next to him. "It seems like this day has gotten even longer already…"

"We're not even noon yet…" Hachi replied, mentally sweatdropping at his friends' childish behaviour.

"And it's not going to get better anytime soon." Shinji whispered, noting how the skies outside the windows seemed to get darker.

* * *

The double shoji doors of the Senkaimon opened themselves soon after they had appeared in the garden behind the Urahara Shoten.

"Rukia."

Rukia looked up from her lying position on a stretcher carried by Shuhei and Ikkaku and saw Ichigo standing near her. "Ichigo."

"Until next time, alright?"

She smiled and nodded, "Until next time."

"You too, Renji." Ichigo spoke to the Vice-Captain standing next to Rukia, stretching out his hand.

Renji took it and pulled him close for a fraternal shoulder tap. "Don't die on us before we see you again."

Ichigo smirked, "As long as you take good care of her."

Renji grinned back and gave a short nod. "Sure thing."

Yoruichi stepped up to the trio and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm coming with you. Soul Society awaits your return and will need all the strength we can give it."

Both Renji and Rukia nodded resolutely.

"Heal quickly," Ichigo said with a gentle expression on his face towards his friends.

"You too, Ichigo," Rukia whispered back before she was carried over to the Senkaimon. Renji smiled at him a last time and then turned, he too ready to go back.

Then, suddenly, an upraise in spiritual force was felt by all of them and before everyone realized it fully, a flash of light blue lightening crashed down on the still opened Gate, blowing everyone back and away from it.

A large hand then emerged from the spot where the Gate still was and reached around itself, groping on the nearby trees and walls of the Serene Garden.

Uryuu and Chad came running out of the house, horrified by the scene displayed in front of them. "What the hell?!"

"Ishida, duck!" Chad yelled, pushing Uryuu down on the wooden porch and out of the way of a massive bolt of Spiritual Energy that came flying their way.

"Howl, Benihime!"

"Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

A crescent-shaped blade attached to a chain lashed out towards the enormous hand and attached itself on its wrist, from where it immediately began to grow ice until shattering the hand a moment later.

An eerie howl was heard coming from within the gate and another moment later a wall of red light was sent through it, after which the howling abruptly ended.

The blue light that had seemed to envelop the Senkaimon disappeared short after and the Gate closed itself again, disappearing into the void.

Ichigo sat up from his spot on the grass next to Renji and looked around to check if everyone was alright. "What the hell was that?!"

Urahara stepped off the porch, soon followed by Toushiro, Rangiku and Gin and helped Yoruichi back on her feet. "The pathway between worlds is being guarded."

"We should've seen it coming sooner…" The young Captain whispered, now taking out his Soul Pager. "As expected; we've been cut off. There's no signal whatsoever."

"What was that light?" Uryuu asked, on his feet again, "It seemed to block whatever it was that was trying to get through."

Urahara looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. "_She_ did it, with help."

Ichigo moved himself on his feet and stepped up to him, "Urahara-san, you mean Orihime?"

"Why would she do that?" Rukia asked sceptically, sitting up now, but holding a hand over the wound she still hand on her stomach. "She tried to kill us only yesterday!"

"No," Rangiku intervened, "Not _that_ Orihime, I think they mean our Orihime-chan."

"Urahara, you mean to say that Orihime has gained back control of her Spirit body?" Renji exclaimed, taking Rukia in his arms.

"She has," Ichigo answered, silencing everyone. "We met again last night."

Toushiro narrowed his eyelids and watched the former Captain intently. "You said she had help."

"Yes," Urahara said, still looking at the skies, "She had."

I tear created itself in the sky above their heads and everyone stood watching it in shock.

Two familiar faces revealed themselves as the sky continued to tear itself open and all gasped in surprise at the couple standing up in the air.

"Yo, what's all your shitty expressions for?!"

Urahara turned to the couple, "She had help from him."

Ichigo couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Grimmjow Jaggerjack?!"

_**

* * *

Kyaa**_… _**Happy New year everyone! –dodges any flying projectiles aimed her way- Gomen nasai! The wait was long and this chapter is but a filler and extremely short, I know! Still, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I like to think of it as the last moment of calm before the raging storm that's coming up... **_

_**I'm too tired to give an elaborate commentary here, so I'll just say that those who wish to catch a sneak preview of the next chapter, can check my blog on myspace. The link stands in my bio!**_

_**See ya next time and thank you for still reading this! (Let's pass the 100 reviews lol!)**_

_Upcoming Chapter: **Raging Apocalypse – The culmination of madness**_

_To be continued…_


	12. The Culmination of madness

* * *

12. Raging Apocalypse – The culmination of madness

* * *

"Grimmjow Jaggerjack?!"

The Arrancar grinned down at him and chuckled. "Yo, King Whimp."

"Inoue!" Rukia exclaimed, a wave of emotion coming over her. "Is that really you?"

Orihime descended from her position in the sky and landed in the middle of the garden. Her presence seemed to have a silencing effect on all the bystanders and she felt unable to meet their piercing gazes. She was wearing black leather boots over skin-tight black jeans, a Chinese style, short-sleeved black silken shirt with red rimmed collar and a red corset. Her hands were clad in black leather, fingerless gloves. Her black hair was done in an elegant neck bun with Chinese hairpins in it. She looked dressed for war.

"Kuchiki-san! Everyone…" She fell silent as everyone only gave her hesitant gazes. "Everyone… It's me."

Ichigo looked at the others with slight incomprehension at their behaviour and stepped up to her. "Orihime… You've returned…"

She twirled around and her face lit up immediately as she saw him standing there. "Ichigo!"

He took her in his arms and held her to his chest, feeling the warmth and smelling the scent he only associated with her and almost cried tears of sheer happiness. "You're safe… When you left last night I had no idea if I'd ever see you again…"

Orihime only held him and shook her head. "I'm just glad we got here in time to stop that Golem! I'm relieved that _you're_ safe!"

Ichigo bit his lower lip and buried his face in the crook of her neck and right shoulder. "That was you…"

"Ichigo…" she whispered, "We have important matters to discuss now that I'm here."

"Is that the reason why _he's_ here with you?" The orange haired youth whispered scornfully with a glare towards Grimmjow.

"What?" The blue haired Arrancar retorted, "Jealous, Shinigami?"

"Care to come down here and repeat that, shithead?!" Ichigo yelled back.

"I suggest we go inside, Orihime-chan." Urahara spoke gently, "You may be the only one who can prevent lives from being lost in this battle."

The silence resonated through the now crowded tea-room, all dreading the reason for Orihime and Grimmjow's venue.

She kneeled herself down at the low table, placing her intertwined hands on the smooth surface with an uncharacteristically serious expression.

Though all were used to see and hear Urahara joke at times like these, none blamed him for taking on a more austere disposition towards the matter at hand.

Grimmjow was standing against the wall behind her, almost reminding of a princess' personal guard.

Ichigo never failed to cast his most despising scowls his way, only amusing the teal haired Arrancar as he did.

"Aizen will soon realise that I am gone, so I shall keep this brief."

Even in the way she talked, they all felt that Orihime had changed, no longer seeming the naïve and cheerful girl they had all grown to appreciate. Her appearance shed off a cool reserve, her behaviour mirroring that of a full grown and responsible woman. _Like a warlord…_ Rukia thought, observing her silently and with held back caution. Seeing Orihime in such control of herself was a bit unsettling and to a certain degree… _redoubtable…_ both frightening and yet awe- arousing at the same time. As she spoke, her voice now evoked respect and admiration, her words power and elegance. _Look at you now, Inoue…_

"His research has been completed. He has found the last of them, Urahara-san." Orihime said softly.

"Vasto Lorde," Toushiro spoke, standing at the other end of the table with his arms crossed over his chest.

Yoruichi, who had been standing in a corner right from Urahara, sat herself down on the floor. "Defeat seems undeniable at this point."

"Urahara-san," Ikkaku intervened, refusing to let the thought of defeat cross his mind, "we know he doesn't have the Hougyokou, so he will not be able to turn them into Arrancars, right? We may still have a chance."

Urahara sighed and closed his eyes briefly as he thought of those words. That chance Ikkaku was talking about was a infinitely slim one, for it did not matter if those Vasto Lordes were transformed into Arrancars or not, their raw power without the Hougyokou's interference surpassed that of a Captain either way. Aizen only had to find at least 5 of them and all would be lost.

He opened his eyes and looked at Orihime again. "Has he laid his hands on it yet?"

She shook her head, "It is the reason for my advent."

"That's where we have a new problem." Grimmjow spoke, catching everyone's attention.

"And another…" Ichigo murmured, rolling his eyes.

The Arrancar ignored him and continued, "Unless we kill her, we won't lay our hands on the thing."

"Say what?!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Ichigo!" Orihime sternly spoke, her eyes closed and her expression now slightly aggravated. "Please—"

"What have you done, Inoue-san?" Urahara whispered, a hint of regret and admonish in his voice.

She opened her eyes and gave him a resolute look. "I cannot turn back now. We either do it the hard way or the other way."

"Orihime-chan…" Shuhei and Rangiku whispered in unison, silently admiring her strength of will.

"Both are not things I would like to see you endure." Urahara whispered, bending his head and shaking it sadly. "But it seems you have left me with no other choice."

She sighed and closed her eyes again, knowing that all eyes were resting on her, patiently waiting for an explanation. She could almost hear Ichigo's worried thoughts in her own mind, but she could not command herself to look at him now, or at any other of them for that matter.

"The Hougyokou," she whispered, "I sealed it within myself. By denying it's existence the first time, I had to think of a place to send it off to. Oblivion seemed too abstract of a term for me to use at the time, so I did what I thought would be best with the limited time I had been given. I asked the Commander General to remove the knowledge from my soul afterwards, so that it would never bother anyone ever again."

"Inoue…" Rukia whispered, a tear rolling out of her right eye as she watched her friend admitting her past actions. "You were ready to sacrifice everything…"

Orihime bit her lower lip and nodded. "Aizen sensed its presence within me, because of his prolonged moments of symbiosis with the Pearl. Also, Hollow Hime knew of its presence within me and didn't fail to inform Aizen. It needs to be separated from me in order to be destroyed, or he will come and take it from me himself."

They did not need a picture to understand what consequences that would ensue.

"Tessai-san!" Urahara called towards the hall.

The bulky man soon appeared in the room's entrance door and he bowed, "Yes, manager?"

The former Captain began to stand, "I need object P4.7 from the complete artefacts' closet, please bring it to me in the 'other room'."

"Yes, manager," and he left.

"Everyone," Urahara now said as he looked at the group of people standing left from him. "I bid for all of you to go lend a hand to the Vaizards as we initially planned. Inoue-san and me shall catch up with you afterwards."

Toushiro nodded, "Yes, it is time we left." He then turned to Shuhei, "Still no contact with Soul Society?"

He shook his head after he had taken out his transmitter only to hear static, "None, Sir."

"Alright, then there's no use in stalling this any longer." He turned towards the garden behind him and stepped onto the porch, "Let's go."

Renji kneeled next to Rukia on the floor as Ikkaku, Rangiku and Shuhei followed after the Captain. "Rukia, wait for me to come back."

She closed her eyes as she fought against the tears. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"

Renji bent over and pressed his lips on her forehead. "I don't care… as long as you're here when I come back."

Rukia sighed and nodded reluctantly. "I'll kick your ass if you don't come and get me out of this embarrassing situation."

He chuckled tenderly and nodded. "Yeah…"

They let their lips meet softly and as she opened her eyes again, he was gone.

Yoruichi stood from her sitting position in the corner and stepped towards the porch, passing Urahara in the process. She looked back at him a last time and they shared a smile before she too vanished.

Orihime moved herself on her feet now as well and turned herself around, finding Ichigo still standing right from Grimmjow. She took a shaky breath and smiled. "They'll need you too…"

Ichigo bit his lower lip and bent his head. "Could you please give us a few moments?" he whispered softly.

Grimmjow grinned disdainfully and shrugged, following Urahara who had picked up Rukia from the floor out of the room and deeper inside the house.

"Every time," Ichigo began, still not looking at her, "Every time I've seen you after our last night together I've felt this growing distance."

"Ichigo—"

He raised a hand and shook his head to silence her. "It's not that I don't get the meaning of it. I do, but it wasn't up until now that I've begun to see it from your point of view."

Orihime faced away from him, trying with all her might to keep the tears at bay. There were no words she could find to say to him, his statement seemed to have said everything.

"Orihime… I am sorry I've only come to understand your feelings now."

She glanced his way and met his sincere eyes.

"I am sorry," he softly whispered, taking a few steps closer. "But I cannot let you go through with it."

Orihime only stared at him, still not saying a word.

"I am not saying this out of selfish motivation. There -has- to be a way. You do not have to throw your life away like this. It's not the woman I know." He seemed to hesitate a little before whispering; "There's still so much for you to live for."

She rolled her eyes to the floor and smiled remorsefully, "You must think I'm being selfish, am I wrong?"

Ichigo tilted his head to the side and stared outside, "Well, yeah."

She chuckled, "Of course. You two are the same after all."

"Orihime—"

"You mustn't think that I'm not aware of my betrayal towards you." She gritted her teeth and balled her hands, "I know how much it must hurt to think that you of all people can't help me. Yet you know why I need to do this…"

He now stood in front of her and placed the back of his right hand against her pale and cold left cheek. "A very intelligent and wise girl once said to me that dead people can't protect anyone."

She raised her head up to that and revealed her watering eyes.

"I believe in you, just know that you have me," he said, looking at her beautiful face and tracing the lines of her cheekbones with a finger lovingly. "You've become so strong, Hime. I'll always be there to lend you all the support and strength you need, only remember that you're not alone. I know you can beat this thing inside of you. Like I know you believe I can beat my Hollow."

"Ichigo…" she whispered, her lips trembling.

He took her into his arms and held her close, shutting his eyes. "I love you."

She broke down in sobs at that, staring up at the ceiling as she suddenly felt her heart grow heavy with guilt.

He took a small step back and claimed her frigid lips with his, kissing her passionately in an effort to make her feel that he never lost hope and that she shouldn't either.

"Here," Ichigo said, bringing his closed right hand up in between them now, "I held on to them for you, but I like them better when you're wearing them."

She discovered her hairpins lying in the palm of his opened hand and she gasped in relief, having thought to have lost them for ever. "Oh…!"

He smiled softly, "Let me put them back where they belong…"

She let him slide the flowers back on each side of her head and returned his smile. "Thank you, Ichigo." Her body felt a warmth she had thought long gone and even after he left, she could still feel it deep within her, preserving the last of her dreams.

* * *

A horrifying howl echoed through the air, soon answered by a hurricane of similar cries, tearing up the smooth tranquillity of the morning hours. Dark clouds began to gather ominously, preparing the world for a deluge.

Only, there was no rain to come.

The empty water tank on top of the abandoned building exploded, its steel ripped apart by invisible claws. Glowing red eyes appeared out of nothing, peering down at the small group it wanted as dinner.

Shinji took a step forward and looked up at the building, unsheathing his Zanpakuto slowly. "Love and Rose, please take the flanks," he said to the group standing behind him. "Hiyori, Lisa and Mashiro, with me. Hachi, Kensei; the rear."

All nodded and sped off into the direction they had been ordered to.

"Keep Hollowification as a last resort," he continued, approaching the first Huge Hollow to meet his sword, "this day will be long: we don't want to tire before its end."

* * *

A few miles away, two figures appeared in the air, looking at the darkening sky in the distance.

"You know, if I remember Rangiku-chan correctly, she'll be terribly upset that you didn't say goodbye."

Gin only smiled in his characteristic way and shook his head, "We'll meet upon the battlefield eventually…" He took a breath and began walking towards the fight ahead, "And who knows? Perhaps we won't have to say good-bye at all."

"A sucker for happy endings, eh?"

"If just once, I would like to finally have one," Gin replied, his grin slowly disappearing.

The other Shinigami nodded, "Yeah…"

Both men then vanished, their blurry silhouettes re-appearing only every other mile into the direction of the battle.

* * *

A bright red flash hit the ground near her feet and Lisa gracefully made a handless- cartwheel in the air before landing and parrying all ceros aimed at her with the flat side of her blade. She swooped it to the side defiantly as she now faced the 4 Huge Hollows standing before her, each one uglier than its friends.

"Hello," she said calmly, raising her sword. "I'd tell you my name, but seen as how you'll be dead in a few seconds, it won't matter." She launched herself at them and they quickly surrounded her only to turn into dust a couple of moments later.

"Oww…" Mashiro whined after she watched the Hollow she had been fighting disintegrating itself. "It's much more fun when we put our masks on!"

"No complaining!" Hiyori yelled back, slapping a Hollow on its mask with her right slipper, sending it flying, "Just keep killing them all!"

A few yards away another building exploded and Shinji twirled around to look at the Hollow he had been fighting, hiding in the smoke and debris of the destroyed hangar. He dodged an attack aimed at him and easily cut off the arm with the flash of his sword before gracefully flinging his sword in a wide circle to slash the monster in half. He then directed his gaze up to the skies and grunted: at the rate they were going, they wouldn't see the end of it anytime soon. He launched himself into the air, deciding to cut things short.

"_Circle of faith, connecting shores, lord of purgatory, ageless coveter, black hearts bind together, consumed by darkness. I call upon the condemned. Carve thy enemies flesh and scourge their souls._"

A massive, black, shadowy replica of his stretched out left hand appeared above a 3 miles area containing all Hollows that had landed there.

"Vizards!" Kensei bellowed, having noticed the spell, "Everyone, clear the premises over a distance of at least 6 miles!"

"_Way of Destruction nr. 71," _Shinji whispered after he felt his companions evacuate the danger zone his kidou would hit. "_Crushing Black Palm."_

With an eerie silence as if all noise became swallowed by its passage, the enormous shadow of Shinji's left hand descended upon the hundreds of Hollows gathered underneath it, crushing each and every last one of them. Closing his hand into a fist, Shinji then watched as the replica began to exude bright light and then imploded, the explosion in itself soundless but soon followed by the deafening sound of destruction the after shock wave brought along with it over an additional distance of 2.5 miles in all directions.

"Whoa," Love murmured, lowering the arm he had used to shield his face with. "That spell isn't supposed to be this strong."

"Of course not, if you don't use the incantation," Lisa reflected, arms folded on her chest and her skirt swaying in the wind now that the dust had cleared a little.

"Shinji was once a Captain level Shinigami, don't forget that fact," Rose spoke, standing up from his hunched position. He dusted off his jacket and placed his hands in the pockets of his pants. "It's only normal the destruction was going to be of this magnitude."

"It's still hard to believe that that goofball ever made it to Captain once…" Kensei smirked, arms folded over his chest.

"The same can be said about you," Lisa retorted, not looking at him and beginning to walk back towards Shinji.

"What?!" Kensei exploded, but was hushed by one of Hiyori's slipping hitting him square on his face.

"Hold your trap!" she yelled, "You had it coming and you fucking know it!"

The white haired Vaizard shot her a deadly glare and drew his combat knife. "What the hell is your problem, monkey chick?!"

Both Love and Rose grabbed him by one arm each and kept him from attacking Hiyori, who simply glared at him before walking away after Lisa.

"Get your hands off of me!" Kensei yelled, shrugging his captors off and sheathing his blade back into its holder. "The fuck is wrong with that kid?!"

The rest of them all exchanged questioning glances before following the others back.

* * *

The seemingly constant flow of Hollows out of Hueco Mundo seemed to have stopped now.

Shinji descended from his airborne position and landed on the ground, closing his eyes. Although the spell he had used wasn't a particularly complicated one, it did come with its adverse effects. He looked at his left arm and winced slightly as he looked at his slightly smoking skin and smelled the horrid stench of burned flesh. "Well, as long as it was effective," he whispered, flexing and stretching his hand tentatively only to bit his lower lip at the stinging pain.

"Hadou nr 71, huh?"

Shinji turned his head towards the two men standing a distance from him and smirked. "How long have you been standing there?"

Gin shrugged, "Long enough, really. That was an impressive little trick you did there, Hirako-san."

"Still, I don't remember it being that powerful," Isshin remarked, scratching his stubble beard absent-mindedly.

Shinji grinned a little, "Kinda overdid it."

"Hn," Isshin chuckled, looking around. "So, seems like we've had the first wave already."

Shinji nodded, "I don't believe the next will be anytime soon. Now the battle will be on the other side."

Gin nodded, "We'll inform Kurosaki-san and the others."

"She will need all the help she can get, even if she thinks she'll be able to handle it," Isshin concurred. He then sighed, "I just hope my son won't do anything foolish."

"Orihime has chosen her path, he will have to accept it, whether he likes it or not," Shinji spoke, turning now as he saw his companions land near him. "We've done our part, now it's theirs. We'll go on standby."

"Maybe you should Urahara have a look at that," Isshin advised, nodding at his reddened arm and hand.

"Perhaps," Shinji smiled, "It's been a while since I've seen Kisuke."

Isshin nodded and returned his smile. "We'll see you later on."

Shinji nodded and turned, "Most definitely."

Gin and Isshin watched the group depart and disappear.

"That ought to be a cordial reunion," Gin noted as he began to walk in the opposite direction. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"That he risks to lose his arm?" Isshin asked, walking after him.

Gin nodded and waited for Isshin to stand next to him.

"Because I think he knows."

* * *

Her eyes opened.

A soothing hand landed on the crown of her head and their gazes met.

"Is it done?"

Grimmjow glanced up towards Urahara standing at the other side of the narrow table, holding a small crystal cube in his right hand fingers.

"Yeah," Grimmjow said, looking down at her again with a ghost of a smile, "It's done."

Orihime sighed out in silent relief and nodded, feeling like an immense load had been lifted from her shoulders. "Now there's only the most difficult part left."

He helped her back on her feet and put a supporting arm around her waist. "You're still up to it?"

She nodded and took a breath, feeling a dizziness mounting to her head. "There's no turning back."

Grimmjow smirked and looked away. 'Tch, it's not that I'm taking Ichigo's side in this, but you'll be leaving a lot behind."

Orihime's expression hardened, "I've already made up my mind… I thought you were on my side?"

He turned his face back to hers and looked into her eyes. "I am, princess. You know I am."

She let out a trembling breath and closed her eyes again, leaning against him. "I wouldn't be able to bear it right now if I had no one on my side… I need you."

"You have me," he whispered back, pressing a gentle kiss on her pale forehead.

Urahara pretended not to listen to their private conversation but couldn't help but notice the advanced stage of intimacy between Orihime and Grimmjow. He wouldn't say anything, for he knew that if a heartbreak was looming on the horizon, it wasn't his task to deliver the message. "Inoue-san," he said, catching her attention, "Your soul hast just undergone a labouring procedure, it would be best if you kept from tiring it too much for the time being."

She nodded, "Thank you, Urahara-san," and slowly made her way to the door."

Then it happened. Her body suddenly went limp and she collapsed.

"Oi!" Grimmjow exclaimed, picking her up in his arms in one swift movement. "What's going on?"

"Inoue-san!" Urahara moved closer to her as well.

Orihime moaned softly, "What's… happening? What's that sound?"

Grimmjow looked around rapidly, not seeing or hearing anything out of the ordinary. "What sound?" he asked her, seeing her clutch to her ears for dear life. "Orihime!"

"Put her back on the table, perhaps something went wrong during the procedure," Urahara hurried to their side and walked them back towards the observation table. She was trembling as they lay her down, sweat breaking out of every pore of her body.

"What… w-went wrong…?" she shakily whimpered, her eyes looking up at them pleadingly. "Grimm… jow…?"

He had her right hand in his now and he shook his head, "I don't know—" He looked up at the former Captain and bellowed, "What the fuck did you do to her?!"

Urahara did not respond but only bent over her and examined her pupils and felt her pulse. "Inoue-san," he then whispered to her, "It's not her. Let go."

Grimmjow frowned and looked at her again. "How can you be so sure?"

"Her eyes aren't changing," Urahara answered.

Orihime nodded silently, still shivering uncontrollably on the table before she brusquely arched and went limp.

Urahara then left the room just as sudden as Orihime had passed out, leaving the former Espada puzzled as to what was going on.

_

* * *

_

Her eyes opened once more and she sat up, her body now clad in a snow white, deeply cut halter-top, long dress. The familiar surroundings of her interior world greeted her. She stood, taking in a breath; her alter ego did not seem to be around which meant she was locked away safely in a part of her soul. Yet, there was something quite different even though she couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was.

**_"Mother."_**

_Orihime turned, her now light brown hair flailing around her as she did, and she gasped._

_A few feet away, stood Ichigo. Or at least, she thought it was Ichigo. He looked so much like him, but younger somehow._

**_"Mother,"_**_ he said again, and his voice seemed to echo in her mind._

_She approached him cautiously, grabbing onto her long dress as she did, a confounded expression her features. "Who are you looking for?" she asked and somehow, the closer she got to him, the younger he seemed to become. Where he had been a teen just a moment ago he seemed barely ten now and she kneeled a feet or so away, smiling kindly. "Maybe I can help?"_

**_"My mother,"_**_ he spoke to her without moving his lips, looking at her pleadingly. **"I was searching for her, now she is here."**_

_Orihime looked around, not really expecting to see anyone, but still doing it to perhaps put the child at ease.__ "She is here?"_

_He nodded with a grin and she had to smile at how adorable he looked, beaming with cheer happiness. **"Will you take me with you?"**_

_Orihime cocked her head to the side with an apologetic smile, "Where is your father?"_

**_"My father is off fighting monsters,"_**_ he answered with a small pout. **"I want to go with you. Can I? Please?"**_

_She frowned, finding it all harder and harder to understand. "But, how did you get here? Do you remember?"_

_The boy shrugged, **"I just thought of my mother and I came here and then you came here."**_

_She sighed and looked around helplessly. _

**_"The time is right for us to go now."_**

_A warm hand suddenly pressed against her abdomen and she looked down in silent surprise. "What—?" _

_He smiled up at her and a soft glow grew from where his hand touched her abdomen. **"I love you, mother."**_

* * *

She gasped and awoke with a start, comforting hands immediately reaching to help her lay back calmly, her surroundings once again completely different. She was back in Urahara's Examination Room.

"There's…! I have seen… Ichigo—we…" she breathed incoherently, looking at the faces gathered around her.

Urahara nodded comprehensively, "Take it easy, please…"

Orihime settled down and closed her eyes, her hands moving up to her lower abdomen. "I had no idea…" she silently whispered, still not looking at any of them. "My son… I have a son!"

"You generated a child?" Grimmjow demanded, "When?"

They both turned their heads towards Urahara and he began to explain what they discovered during her absence.

"You are now in the Gigai I made for your unborn child," he finished, "since I had sensed it wanting to communicate with you. It was the safest way."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

There was a silence in which Grimmjow helped Orihime to sit up again while Urahara stepped around the table to face both of them.

She looked up at him and let go of the hold she had on Grimmjow's right shoulder. "And Ichigo? How did he take it?"

"Surprisingly well, considering," Urahara answered, smiling encouragingly. "He's matured, you know, Inoue-san."

She averted her gaze from his at that, a reminiscent expression growing on her face. "It was something we were both ready to accept, were it to happen one day." She sighed and closed her eyes. "So many things are different now."

"Inoue-san," Urahara said, lowering himself on one knee in front of her, "it was necessary to know of your unborn child now that you were still here."

Orihime smiled at him, and shook her head. "It has only strengthened my resolve."

"Yes," he said, nodding.

"Many things depend of me in this war," she said, sliding off the table now. "Knowing that this child was created during a moment of love while in chaos, is something I will for ever be grateful for. The future we're all fighting for will be my gift to it, whether I'm still in it, or not." She stepped out of the Gigai, appearing in her war-lord attire again, letting Urahara catch it in its fall, laying it back on the table. Her heels now tapped on the floor as she took a few steps away, feeling her lower abdomen which she knew was empty again. She turned a last time to her artificial body behind her. _There is still so much left to do before I can take you with me… _Grimmjow took place next to her and she took a breath. "Thank you, Urahara-san."

"Not a problem, Inoue-san," he said, touching his hat and bending his head to her. "You've brought us an essential item."

Orihime smiled, "Hide it well, Aizen cannot suspect you holding it."

"I shall do my best," he smirked.

"I will return as soon as I have found Nell, tell Ichigo that, please."

He nodded and she turned again, stepping out of the room with Grimmjow right behind her, towards the serene garden where the former Espada opened a portal with a mere movement of his right hand. He let her step through first and then followed her, closing the gate behind them.

* * *

Isshin lowered the communicator from his mouth.

"She has gone, it's time."

Gin nodded, "The others are close now."

"Yes, open the gate."

The former Captain nodded once more and opened a portal to Hueco Mundo.

Soon enough, Ichigo, Renji, Rangiku, Hitsugaya, Madarame and Hisagi appeared in the air above them and landed seconds later.

Ichigo walked up to his father. "Dad?! What are you doing here?"

"Hiya sonny boy," Isshin merrily greeted his son. "Howya doing?"

"Dad, where is everyone?" Ichigo asked immediately.

"Someone used an enormous spell a little while ago," Hitsugaya interrupted. "What went on here?"

"First things first," Isshin said, clapping in his hands. "See that portal over there? We need you to go through there, help Orihime find the Arrancar Nell Tu and come back."

Ichigo blinked and then shook his head, his brain not following. "What? Find Nell? But wha—"

"Wait a minute," Renji spoke up, "Inoue has gone back?"

"Who is this Nell?" Rangiku asked with a worried frown.

"Why would Inoue-san risk going back into Hueco Mundo when she knows Aizen will kill her if he gets his hands on her?" Shuhei wondered. "Is finding this Arrancar worth so many risks?"

"She must've thought it would be if she decided to do so," Toushiro spoke thoughtfully and then directed himself back to Isshin. "Without orders from Soul Society, no Captain is allowed to enter Hueco Mundo under any circumstance."

"We know that, and we weren't asking you to go, Captain," he replied, turning to his son and Renji. "You two have been there before, you know what to expect."

Renji nodded with determination, but Ichigo looked rather sullen.

"My boy," Isshin said, taking him aside, "Do not torture yourself like this."

Ichigo only stared at his father without saying a word and then looked away. It was obvious to Isshin that he was hurting.

"Orihime has chosen this for herself."

At that Ichigo shrugged him off and gave him a furious glare. "Don't speak of things you do not understand!"

"Ichigo," his father sternly said, no more tender. "She has made her choice. You cannot tell her what to do!"

"How do you expect me to feel?!" he hollered back, his pain now clear in his brown eyes. "She chose for him! She chose for _him_, dad! For that asshole! This is not how I wanted it to be! It's not how we were supposed to…" he fell silent and shook his head. "She didn't even say goodbye."

Isshin remained silent for a moment and then placed a hand on his son's left shoulder. "She knows about your child, Ichigo."

The young Shinigami chuckled morosely at that. "What does it matter?"

"She told Urahara that finding out about the child you gendered gave her a new source of motivation." Isshin told him. "She's fighting for the both of you. Do not let her sacrifice be in vain."

"Oh God…" Ichigo whispered, feeling completely lost.

"Son, she loves you, of that I'm sure. She chose to sacrifice what she had with you in order to protect you from herself." Isshin took a breath and looked away, "It's only a matter of hours now before she completely turns and she knows, Ichigo."

"Fuck no…" He whimpered, now on the verge of tears. He walked away from his father and let out a howl in an effort to vent his frustration, anger and pain.

_Hime… so now you found that strength you told me you lacked, haven't you? You'll distance yourself from me permanently and there's nothing I can do to stop it, can I?_

* * *

In the darkest chamber of Las Noches castle, a sinister laugh could be heard, echoing through the many empty halls.

_"I told you… Hime. Go back to see him again without my permission and I'd kill him. Yet seen as how you seem to have traitorous habits lately, I guess I'll have to deal with you first. You've crossed the line one time too many."_

* * *

Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoyed. Please look out for the next chapter by end May/ start June.

Upcoming Chapter: **_ In the belly of the beast – The _****_Crystal_****_ Clearance_**

To be continued…

**_-BDP-_**


	13. The Crystal Clearing

13. In the Belly of the Beast – The Crystal Clearing

* * *

The wind whistled in her ears as the rooftops rushed passed her in her hurry. Yoruichi had separated from the rest of the group so she could contact the members of the 4th reconnaissance unit who were stationed in Southern Karakura. She was hoping to see if they had news about the situation in Soul Society, though she doubted they would. Still, it was well worth a try.

"Mistress Yoruichi!"

"Takeda," she said as she entered the small encampment located in an abandoned oil factory on the outskirts of town. "Report status."

Takeda immediately stood and nodded. "All communications with Soul Society have been out of order since the past hour, milady. No change since. »

She sighed in dismay and nodded. "Keep trying to contact them." She turned to leave.

"Milady," Takeda called after her.

"What is it?"

Takeda handed her a document holder. "We received these a little over an hour ago. We haven't been able to make sense of the message, but it seems of outmost importance."

She opened the holder and nodded, recognising the communication pattern immediately. "Dismissed."

"Ma'am!"

Yoruichi frowned slightly as she inspected the content of the ciphered message more intently. She had never seen this type of encrypted complexity in her entire career as head of the MSC.

It was the code Soul Society used to report a level 1 B&I – i.e., Breach and Invasion. Soul Society was under attack and greatly outnumbered.

"If this was sent over an hour ago, then…"

"Yoruichi-san!"

A heavily beaten up man collapsed at her feet, struggling to regain his breath. "The second unit, milady! They—"

She kneeled next to him and supported his back and neck as she helped him to lie down on the floor. "What did you see?" she calmly inquired, taking in his multiple injuries and lacerations silently.

He grabbed onto her right arm, his eyes wide open in unseen terror, lips trembling with unspoken words. "When I got there... they— they'd... no one was left alive!"

"What did this?"

He was shaking his head now, the tears running down his beaten face and mingling with the blood on his cheeks. "No one... none! There was nothing there!"

Yoruichi frowned in frustration, realizing that the man had completely lost it. Still, there was no mistaking it; he had seen something... or perhaps he hadn't seen anything. Seen anything coming that is... just like the second company hadn't. It made sense, otherwise they would've asked for help. As it apparently was, they were outnumbered and taken completely by surprise by an unseen –invisible?—enemy.

"What the hell is going on?" she wondered as she watched the delirious man being taken away.

* * *

With a sound like thunder, they broke through the veil separating the worlds.

The first thing that assaulted their ears was the deadly silence that surrounded them, the darkness of the place they were in invading their senses.

"What is this place?!"

Bleak, tree-like sculptures rose up from the ground and into the sky above their head, disappearing into a faint white light high up in the distance.

Renji stepped up to one of those pillars, touching the surface. "Looks like some kind of mineral…"

Ichigo stepped up next to him and looked up again. "Probably quartz. I think I know where we are."

Renji cast him an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Underground."

A loud howl was heard in the distance, making both Shinigamis reach for their Zanpakutos.

"You think she came through here?" Renji asked, eyes darting from one side to another in precaution.

"There's only one way to find out," Ichigo said calmly, beginning to walk in the direction of the receding howls. "We search."

As they travelled deeper into this wood of peculiar looking trees, everything around them became progressively brighter. A green-blueish hue settled around the closer they came to a particularly bright spot in the darkness surrounding them.

They both stopped at a safe distance from the centre of the light, standing high in the branches above the clearance, letting their eyes fall on the surreal view that lay itself before them.

Hollows. Huge ones. Thousand upon thousand of them, surrounding the centre, all sitting-standing-lying or hanging from low branches calmly as they all stared in the same direction as in silent adoration.

"What are they doing?" Renji asked softly, his eyes never leaving the now humming mass of Hollows below them. "Are they… _chanting_?"

Ichigo crouched low and squinted, fixing the centre of the clearance a thousand feet beneath them. "I can't see. It's too bright," he stated after a few moments of staring. They only had to wait another couple of moments before they witnessed a change in the Hollows below them again. Now they were all swaying like one massive wave and a distinctive voice could be heard in the crowd, singing what seemed like a litany. The Hollows responded to every supplication with one loud voice, baffling both Shinigamis with the level of discipline and dedication they all expressed.

After a while, the litany ended and the crowds quieted down, humming lowly, almost growling, and patiently awaiting the venue of whoever that was to appear in the centre.

And then, as if an unseen force split the crowd with an invisible hand, the Hollows standing at 12 o'clock from the centre broke apart, permitting a pathway to appear, beginning from a large, gaping hole in the opposing wall. All went quiet as all waited and then…

A lone, cloaked figure walked down the cleared aisle, making its way to the elevated centre where it threw down the masking clothing, letting it fall into the crowd dramatically.

"I can't believe it!" Ichigo gasped, nearly falling out of the tree.

Renji grunted in annoyance and rolled his eyes, "Somehow she's become even worse an actress than she was before."

The slapping sounds of her bare feet against stone echoed throughout the enormous gathering space. Her light green hair falling onto her bare back as she raises her hands and smiles at the crowd, asking for complete silence.

"Brothers and sisters, welcome!"

"Oh _brother_..."

"Let's hear her out first..."

"Today we welcome the advent of the one who will bring forth a new dawn on our shadow-filled lives!" Nell continued, looking at the quieted crowd with promise in her eyes and excitement in her voice. "Long have we waited for answers, but today meaning shall be restored to our existence!"

Uproar of acclamation exploded as the mass cheered and stamped their feet/paws/ elongated bodies on the ground. Nell stepped back a few steps and turned towards the entrance of the cave behind her. "Lady Orihime!"

"She's here..." Ichigo whispered, rearranging himself a little to have a better view at the entrance of the cave. "What _is_ she doing here?" He began to stand.

Renji placed a calming hand on his friend's arm and shook his head slowly. "It's obvious she's become some saviour of sorts for these Hollows, they seem to adore her, best not get them all angry by barging in unprepared."

With a grunt, Ichigo sat back down, knowing his friend was right. They had no chance against this many Hollows anyway. Although he did tense up when Grimmjow walked out of the cave first, grinning like he owned the world. A well aimed flash-punch to his stupid face wouldn't hurt, would it? He could move so fast no one would notice—

"Get that moronic thought out of your head, you idiot," Renji said with an aggravated scowl.

Ichigo glared at him and sulked.

"There she is," Renji whispered, drawing Ichigo's attention back to the scene.

It was like she was walking through water. That's what it was. That elegant grace she possessed as she moved, the way her brown hair flowed around her as she walked, the white aura that surrounded her figure in the off-the-shoulder white kimono she now wore. It glittered, even in the dimness of the place, golden leaf patterns scattered all over the fabric, tied around the waist with a golden obi, its flowing tails and the trailing sleeves moving gently as if caught in a breeze.

She was breathtaking.

"Aizen will be upon us soon," she said, her voice echoing like bells over the crowd. "The moment to step forward is now. Born from nothing, we searched for the light that would deliver us from the darkness. We were all born blind, blinded by the hatred, the rage and the coldness that enclosed our souls. Aizen made sure we stayed prisoners of our own fears. Today I say 'No more'!"

The crowd roared with acclaim. Many chanted her name, fists raised in warm approval of her words.

"So they _are_ preparing for war..." Renji whispered, turning to Ichigo.

"Against Aizen himself... These must be Hollows that think like Nell. She never really accepted the way Aizen ran things..." Ichigo murmured, his eyes scanning over the mass below. "There are many of them, but do you think—?"

Renji shook his head, "There are perhaps what? Four? Five thousands of them down there? Aizen is abnormally powerful and he has a legion of Arrancars at his command. This is suicide."

"But they seem to believe in her," Ichigo said, looking at Orihime's shining figure in the distance. "She seems so sure. It doesn't really matter if there is no chance of victory, as long as the masses believe that their commander believes there is."

"You're right, it's a basic warfare notion."

Ichigo nodded.

Then, Orihime looked up and directly stared at him. _Ichigo._

He stood. "Let's go."

* * *

"How do you expect me to treat your wound if you keep fretting like a little girl?"

Shinji gave Tessai the death glare and then yelped when some more ointment was applied on his burned hand. "But it frickin' _hurts_!" he breathed through gritted teeth, trying to pull his arm away from the bulky man who had it in a vice-like grip.

"It will prevent your hand from turning black when it heals. Now sit still, please." Tessai continued on undisturbed, reaching for the gauze.

"Sweet mother of all Hollows!" Shinji howled as the gauze was applied. "Do you have to press it on like that?! You're killing me here!"

"Please, sit still or I will have to sedate you!" He reached for a syringe that was readily placed on the table next to them.

"No! NO! No needles! None of that!"

"Then behave, please."

Shinji calmed down after that, if only a little.

While Shinji went through uncomfortable moments of pain (The hell it doesn't! You're trying to pull my fucking hand off!), the others were sitting in an adjacent room, being served tea.

"So now what?" Hiyori demanded, sitting cross legged on the floor with her arms folded on her chest. "We just sit here, sipping tea while waiting for the others to finish fighting?"

Urahara sighed and finished pouring Rukia's tea. "We gather our strengths and prepare ourselves."

"For what?!" she exploded slamming her hands on the low table. "Damn it! We barely came out of the last battle alive!" She stood, "Fuck this," and stomped out of the room.

Rukia raised an eyebrow and gave Urahara a questioning glance. A closed expression was etched on the older man's face and she wondered what it was he knew and was hiding.

"If it hadn't been for Shinji using that incantation, who knows how it all would've ended," Love said softly from his position in a corner of the room.

"We should be dead," Kensei said dejectedly, wiping away a smudge of blood that lingered at the corner of his mouth.

Lisa, Rose and Mashiro remained silent, staring anywhere but at each other, all carrying the same desolate expression. Hachi looked into the direction Hiyori had gone, a contemplative expression on his face. "Night is falling..." he said, to himself more than to anyone else.

"Is something wrong?" Rukia wondered. She had observed Hachi for a few moments too and he seemed to have realized something as well as did Urahara a few moments back.

Just as Hachi turned to her, Shinji walked into the room, cursing the stars from the sky. "That man still knows how to scare the living shit out of people..." he shuddered and then winced at the pain that rocketed through his hand.

"So, will you survive?" Lisa asked with a small mocking smile.

"I'll be fine..." he answered with a shake of his good hand. He then looked around and noticed the gloomy mood. "Where is Hiyori?" he asked instead.

"I think she needed some fresh air," Urahara answered, taking a sip of his tea. He then stared at the darkening sky outside with a slight frown. Unbeknownst to the rest except for Rukia, Hachi was looking in the exact same direction.

Shinji walked out and onto the porch leading to the garden, sliding the door closed behind him. There was a small breeze rustling the bushes surrounding the garden, the evening bringing a strange calm and silence.

She was sitting a bit further, bare feet dangling off the wooden platform. When she noticed it was him, there was a fleeting expectant look in her eyes before she cast them to the ground, back to their dysphoric disposition.

Shinji frowned and started to approach her. He seemed to be seeing that reaction of hers a lot lately and her increased mood swings hadn't passed by him unnoticed either. "What are you doing here?" he asked quietly, sitting next to her at the top of the steps leading to the grass two feet below them.

"Can't I just come and sit here without being asked that question?" she retorted, though there was no heat in it, which he had expected and was now surprised not to hear. Instead, she sounded sad and broken.

He wouldn't ask her what the matter was just in case she suddenly felt like giving him a beating after all and began to stand. "You're right, it is a nice night out. I'll leave you to it."

But once again he got surprised by the hand she placed on his shoulder and the sniffling sound she made. "Hiyori?"

"Boy, for an ex-Captain you really are a stupid asshole," she said, once again without heat.

"What—"

And then, without preamble, her lips crashed against his and he was knocked backwards by her momentum, arms flailing.

"Just don't say anything," she whispered pleadingly against his mouth, sitting on top of him now, eyes closed and seeping tears. "Don't say anything and just go with it, please...?"

Shinji stared at her silently and reached up to wipe away the tears that fell down her cheeks. She made a hiccupping sound and he smiled in endearment, pulling her closer. "I had no idea..."

"Obviously," she whispered sarcastically against his chest, burying her face in the soft fabric of his polo shirt.

"Come here," he then said, bringing her closer to his face again. "I noticed you being more aggressive lately, but that it was because of this...? You have a strange way of showing it."

Hiyori glared at him and then looked away. "That's because you're the idiot. You nearly got yourself exploded out there today and you act like..." her lower lip trembled and she hit her right fist weakly against his chest. "You're a big fat moron!"

Shinji's eyes softened and his heart melted. "You really do care about me."

"I didn't say that!" she shot him.

His hands flew in a protective position in front of his face. "No, you didn't," he grinned. "You didn't have to." He took hold of her face and chuckled. "Sarugaki, you can stop tormenting yourself."

She gasped and her eyes lit up at the meaning of his words. "Don't be so dense— I wasn't tormenting myself!" she pouted, looking away again.

Shinji chuckled, "Fine."

"Fine!"

He pulled her in and kissed her gently on her lips. "_Fine_."

And for the first time in a long time, Hiyori couldn't think of a single thing to say...

* * *

Orihime simply looked at him as he landed on the stone platform in the centre of the clearing, her presence from up close nearing an ethereal manifestation, the light she emitted magnified a hundred times now that they were up close to her. Ichigo had trouble looking at her and yet couldn't bring himself to turn away; it was like staring directly into the sun. She smiled then, her clear laughter filling the air around them.

"I'm sorry," she said and suddenly the light around her diminished, folding like wings behind her back. She stepped up to him and cradled his face in her small hands. "Ichigo, your place is not here."

He couldn't speak; his throat suddenly dry, his chest heavy with unspoken wishes and silly promises. He inhaled a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. "If my place isn't here, next to you, then where is it?" he said, sounding more determined than he felt.

She only stared at him a bit longer, her expression a strange mix of sadness and hope. She then let go of him and walked passed him to face the crowd again. "It is with the people who need you most."

The words stung and he twirled around to catch her arm, but found that he couldn't; the aura that surrounded her worked as a shield. He pulled his hand back as if burned. "How can you say that?" he whispered softly, shaking his head in incomprehension. "What happened to you? To us? Orihime—"

Grimmjow stepped up, placing a calm hand on Ichigo's right shoulder. "She's dedicated her soul to the mission," he whispered, not surprised to suddenly find himself face to face with the pointy end of Zangetsu. "I think it's about time you accepted that."

"You move any closer and I swear to God that I'll rip you apart limb from limb, you son of a bitch!" Ichigo growled through gritted teeth, eyes gleaming dangerously silver. "If you even think I'll just let you take her from me—"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You're so delusional that you don't even realise how much you've been hurting her!"

Ichigo rearranged his grip on his sword and inched closer to the Arrancar's throat. "You son of a bitch, what makes you think you have the right to—"

"She is in a state of perfect symbiosis with her Hollow, Ichigo," Nell whispered from his left, taking a step forward, hand landing softly on his holding his sword.

"Perfect symbiosis?" Renji asked, hand resting on his own sword as he observed how Ichigo slowly lowered his Zanpakuto.

The Arrancar nodded and released a breath as Ichigo stepped away from Grimmjow with a scowl. "Her torn soul is in perfect balance for the time being and her ultimate potential has been unlocked."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo demanded.

Nell seemed to hesitate and even Grimmjow looked away with a pained expression.

"It means," Orihime turned around and looked at him, her eyes still holding those two opposing emotions in them, "I no longer belong in the material world, haven't for a while now. It also means that I'm the only one who can stop Aizen now."

"Then my place is still at your side, I can help you stop him!" Ichigo said, wishing really hard that he didn't sound as desperate as he felt.

"No it isn't and no, you can't help me," she whispered calmly, the light around her growing brighter again.

Another stab to his heart and Ichigo nearly felt like yelling at her in frustrating rage. There was no way in Hell he was letting her go on a suicide mission on her own! "Orihime goddamnit!" he whispered, throwing appearances to the wind and not caring if he sounded and looked as desperate as he felt. He reached out to her and cupped her face, biting back the groan of intense pain as his skin came in contact with her protective aura. "I love you!" he told her, slightly shaking her, "I fucking love you so much that I can't breathe when you're not with me! I know you feel the same, so why are you doing this?!"

"Because," she whispered, and now he could see tears leaking out of her eyes, crystal beads rolling down her perfect face, "there's more at stake in this fight than your life or mine or that of our friends. There is a balance, a universal balance that needs to be maintained. The scales have already begun to tip over in favour of Aizen. I'm doing this for the greater good, it's my responsibility."

"Why?" he demanded, jaw clenched.

"Because," Orihime said, smiling through the sadness reflected in her eyes, her voice projecting the hope she carried in her heart. "I have the power and I want my son to have a world where he can grow up in, free and loved."

Ichigo stilled and staggered back a few steps, letting her go. "You saw him...?"

"Yes," she whispered, nodding. "He is beautiful, Ichigo. Our son..." her voice trailed off as she brought back the image of that boy in her mind. "You have given me so much..."

Ichigo nodded, taking her by her shoulders. He could hold her now, her aura no longer hurt him on contact. "There is still so much we can share... Together—"

She smiled sadly and shook her head slightly before releasing herself from his hold and stepping passed him. "Aizen is coming," She then said to Nell, her tone back to being authoritarian. "Prepare your troops for battle."

Nell nodded and she and Grimmjow descended the stone elevation to gather the troops and prepare for the departure. There was a silence in which none said anything and then Ichigo looked at Renji pointedly, needing some time alone with Orihime before he unwillingly would let her go.

"I'll go see if I can be of use," Renji said before walking away in the direction Nell and Grimmjow had disappeared off to. He cast his friends a last look and sighed silently to himself.

"What is it that you haven't told me yet?"

Orihime walked away from him, looking over the gigantic clearing that was slowly emptying itself of the hordes of Hollows. "Remember that day under the rain? When you kissed me for the first time?" she whispered, smiling up. "You were trying to get me away from one of the other seniors lusting after me."

Ichigo didn't say anything and simply watched her.

"That was my very first kiss. It was perfect," she turned around and grinned. "The rain, you... I always believed that the rain could bind two hearts together." She walked up to him and let him run the back of his fingers the long her face. "That day you showed me it was true... You kept on showing it to me every single day."

He needed her to tell him what was wrong; he could feel something was wrong, he just knew it. "Orihime, tell me. Please," he whispered.

"I'm dying," she said, her voice so soft it broke his heart. "I can only sustain this form for so long before I become swallowed by the Hollow."

Somehow, he had suspected that, but it didn't make it any easier to hear. "So what after you defeat Aizen?" he whispered, keeping his voice as neutral as he could.

"I'll take my own life." Her eyes were looking at him in determination and he nodded, not because he accepted it, but because he knew there would be nothing he could do to stop her anyway.

"I'll be there."

Orihime blinked in confusion. "Ichigo?"

He took her hands in his and kissed them. "I'll be there, with you, until the very end. I won't leave you."

Right when she was about to protest again, he silenced her with his lips, kissing her with his entire being, wanting this one moment to never end, to continue on forever. He was crying, but couldn't care less, his heart was aching and he wanted to drown in her, let himself be taken in her, not seeing how he could live to be without her. He understood the sacrifice now, knew the reasons and could see its purpose, but he felt himself go insane when he thought about what will be left when the smoke clears.

She was crying too, her small hands reaching around him to hold him tighter, not quite ready to let go of him after all. She had thought that seeing him again after she'd left Urahara would make it harder for her to let him go, and she had been right, but she understood now that it also gave her the strength to endeavour on, even more than when she found out she'd be giving him a son. Orihime knew that, Ichigo being Ichigo, probably wouldn't be able to let go, but she had faith in the fact that he was a good man. A good man who'll know how to see passed his grief with time, for the sake of their son.

"I've always loved you, Ichigo," she whispered against his lips, her eyes closed, trying to take in his scent as much as she could, but knowing that it would never be enough. "I don't know what'll happen to me after this, but even if a small part of me is left behind, know that it'll love you. Love you _always_, no matter what."

"God," Ichigo sniffled imploringly, wanting to kiss her again, wanting to take the taste of her with him, but knowing that it would never be enough. Nothing without her would ever be enough. "I'll carry you with me forever. You've shown me how to love; my heart will be yours always. I love you."

She nodded, holding on tighter. "I love you too..."

The desperation in their touches and caresses could be felt as they held on to each other in the emptied crystal clearing, two souls ready to separate forever.

* * *

The tent flap was pushed aside and Yoruichi looked up from the rapport she had been reading.

Captain Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Hisagi and Madarame stepped inside.

"What's the status?" Toushiro asked.

Yoruichi shook her head and sighed. "Still no response from Soul Society and the last thing we received was a Level 1 breach message."

They all gasped and Toushiro grabbed the paper she was holding out. "This was 2 hours ago?"

Yoruichi nodded and sat down on the cushion readily placed in the centre of the tent, watching all of them do likewise. "There is nothing we can do to help them out now." She sighed and then moved on to the next topic. "One of my men from a reconnaissance group returned this afternoon deadly injured. He claimed his team was attacked by something invisible."

"Something invisible?" Madarame echoed with clear scepticism.

"I went to the site not too long ago," she continued, her expression turning grave all of a sudden. "It was clear that they had no idea they were about to be attacked. What we found was carnage."

"Did you find any leads as to where their killer might have gone?" Matsumoto wondered.

Yoruichi nodded, "There were traces of leftover Reiatsu in the vicinity of the camp, but the trail stopped abruptly near Karakura Centre and we couldn't find anything else in or around the city. It was almost like it—"

"Vanished," Toushiro finished, his scowl matched by hers.

"But," Yoruichi spoke, reaching for a paper that lay next to her on the floor. She handed it to Toushiro sitting opposite from her. "There was one thing we could deduce from the Reiatsu we found."

The young Captain took the paper and began to read. His eyes widened. "There is no mistaking it?"

Yoruichi closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "No, unfortunately not."

"These are higher levels than those of the regular Arrancar we fought half a year ago!" Rangiku whispered in horror, reading the report in turn.

"Do you have any idea how many we're talking about?" Hisagi asked.

"Four, maybe five." Yoruichi moved to stand. "We are absolutely not certain because we lack the proper equipment to know for sure." She walked towards a table in the back and retrieved a small transparent container. "But the most disturbing fact is that they are able to hide such levels of Reiatsu without leaving a trace." She gave the container to Toushiro. "We found a hair on the uniform of the soldier that returned. We had it analysed. It's bio-synthetic."

"A faux-body?"

"They're using Gigai?" Rangiku frowned, giving her a questioning look.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes to the side, avoiding their eyes on her, knowing what they all thought. "Kisuke vowed to never make another Gigai that could conceal its user's Reiatsu. After Soul Society exiled him, he told me he wouldn't."

"Then how do you explain this happening?" Toushiro coldly whispered.

"Hate to say this," Ikkaku agreed, "but the evidence is pointing in his direction, whether he had an unwilling part in this or not." He then shrugged and smiled up at Yoruichi, "Let's face it; the man has invented a number of things that have come to bite us in the ass."

"Without that being his ultimate intention," Rangiku understandingly added, giving her a supportive look.

"That's all great and all," Hisagi sighed, "but what are we going to do now?"

"Based on what I've heard so far," Toushiro spoke, standing in turn, "these Arrancars seem to only have it after Shinigamis or perhaps even souls with a high level of Spiritual Power; they did not attack the city with their advantageous ability of invisibility."

"So, that makes us all targets," Ikkaku concluded.

Toushiro nodded. "We should regroup with the Vizards at Urahara's."

"Wouldn't that make us sitting ducks, Captain?" Rangiku wondered.

"We are sitting ducks no matter where we are: they have two large advantages on us," Yoruichi explained. "At least at Urahara's we could figure out a way to uncloak them on our radar."

Hisagi stood, "And the more we are, the harder it is for them to attack us all at once. That's the only advantage that we can attribute ourselves."

"That's true," Ikkaku said, moving to his feet as well now. "So, when are we leaving?"

"That eager to cut something up?" Rangiku said with a small smirk.

"It's been a while since I've been in a good fight," he answered, following the others out of the tent. "Houzukimaru's been restless lately; he's been itching for a fight as much as I have."

"Oh, I thought you kept scratching yourself for a whole different reason..." she smugly replied, pinching her nose as she walked him by.

Ikkaku's eye twitched and he quickly smelled himself. "It's not even that bad!"

* * *

Rukia was sitting in her corner of the tea-room, dozing off as the evening proceeded. The treatment Urahara had administered her earlier had helped her with the pain she still experienced in her abdomen and he had staved off the infection of Hime's corrupted Reiatsu in her system. She could already feel a bit of her strength returning and sitting up wasn't so much of a problem anymore.

She wondered if Renji and Ichigo were safe and if they would return soon. Urahara had explained to her that they had both gone to Hueco Mundo to help Orihime find Nell. For what purpose however, he did not say.

She sighed and fixed her gaze on the strange Vaizards gathered in the small room. Rukia had never seen the entire group from this close before and the more time passed, the more her initial perception of them settled itself more firmly; they were one hell of a bizarre group.

She had been told that all of them used to be Shinigamis before they were betrayed by Aizen and therefore knew that all the men used to have high-ranking positions in the Gotei, but it was apparent that something else had been burned away with the process of Hollowification that they all went through. She had seen the same thing happening to Ichigo after he returned from them so many months ago. Yet thanks to the support he received from his family and friends, Ichigo had found a balance between the Shinigami and the Hollow within him, that is, he had fought very hard to maintain it.

Each one of them was an island, she realised as she watched them, detached from the others and drowned in their personal sea of solitude. She understood –with a vague sense of shock– that these people became what they were –outcasts– not only because of what Aizen did, but also because of the way Soul Society and probably the humans also, reacted to their existence. None of them ever asked for what happened to them, not for the darkness that corrupted their souls or for becoming the centre of apprehensive scrutiny.

There was a sense of despondency that hung around all of them and yet she couldn't bring it up in herself to feel anything else but respect for these men and women who chose to risk their lives for a world that long ago spurned them. Rukia long ago learned that the laws of Soul Society are far from perfect, but that they exist in order to maintain a liveable equilibrium between the forces of life and death and because of that, understood the decision that led to the Vizards' forced exile.

Understood, but not necessarily approved.

Shinji walked in then, closely followed by an uncharacteristically serene Hiyori. The air lifted with their entrance and all heads turned their way, like flowers turning in the direction of the sun.

Rukia noted this silently and rephrased her previous statement in her mind; they were more a group of islands, each isolated, but together strong against the vast ocean of seclusion. They were together in their solitude.

"Hirako, it's good you have returned," Urahara spoke up as he walked back into the room from the other side. "Sarugaki-san, nice for you to join us as well."

"Is something up?" Kensei asked, still sitting on the floor with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hachi seems to think so," Mashiro said in a small voice, looking up at the gigantic man sitting next to her.

Hachi looked down at her and then up at Urahara. "There's a force outside the barrier I put up shortly after we arrived here."

"Did it break in?" Love demanded and all of them instinctively reached for their Zanpakuto.

"No," Urahara answered, eyes fixed on Shinji. "Not yet, they are nowhere near us yet."

Hachi nodded in agreement, "I've only felt the echoes of their Reiatsu."

"Captain Hitsugaya, his group and Yoruichi are on their way over here."

"Have there been attacks?" Shinji asked, fixing Urahara as well.

"A reconnaissance unit has been annihilated earlier this evening."

"More Hollows?" Kensei asked, looking alarmed.

"No," Urahara whispered. All eyes rested on him now and he lowered his eyes until he found Rukia's near his feet. "A few days ago, I was robbed of a Gigai prototype."

"Gigai prototype?" Lisa wondered.

Urahara nodded, "It was a new type of Gigai that permits the user to model and shape it to his will."

"So no matter how the user looks, he can change his appearance once he's into that thing?" Shinji said with an impressed tone. Urahara nodded again.

"And you were stupid enough to have it stolen?!" Kensei said with a disdainful chuckle.

"No," Rukia spoke up, "We got side tracked, and we never saw it coming."

Urahara sighed and scratched the back of his head regretfully. "I am pretty sure Aizen managed to tweak it here and there and create duplicates of it by now—"

"You think it could be those new Arrancars?" Rukia whispered alarmingly.

"I'm pretty sure of it," Urahara whispered.

"So what are we waiting for?" Hiyori said, already turning around towards the door.

"We're waiting for Yoruichi and the others," Rose said, "Urahara said they're on their way over here."

"I know that!" she shot back, "I want to know what we're waiting for to come up with a plan!

"We already have a plan," Shinji said. "We gather the troops and stand to fight."

"_Here?_"

"I'm sorry to say this, but I'm afraid there won't be much left of your house after this, Urahara," Love spoke with a grin.

"I was thinking of redecorating anyway..." He replied with a smirk and a shrug.

* * *

All was quiet now.

"We should get going," she whispered.

"Yeah," Ichigo nodded, showing no semblance of wanting to let her go. "We should."

She balanced her weight on the tip of toes and kissed him again, sweet and soft on his slightly parted lips. Their hands intertwined and she led him off the elevated rock and down.

"_How bittersweet"_

The temperature dropped drastically all of a sudden and a familiar cackle sounded in the enormous space, echoing all over and around them in a confusing cacophony. Ichigo felt a nausea bubble up in his stomach, threatening to make him hurl. The density of the Spirit force that flowed through the place was mind-blowing and he wondered briefly how much stronger Hollows got when they were in their natural habitat. There couldn't be _that _much of a difference with Earth now, could there?

His head told him otherwise and he suddenly cringed in on himself, holding on to his head, willing to sudden wave of vertigo to stop. He had a vague notion of Orihime kneeling with him on the floor and holding on to him, her worried voice sounding far and muffled. _Oh God_—

"Show yourself, you pathetic asshole!" Orihime cried, spreading her arms as she let a wave of her power wash over the entire place. A pulse of gold spread over the surrounding tree trunks encircling the clearing. Her eyes fixed on a spot on her left and she grinned. "You should know that I'm really hard to play hide and seek with."

Hollow Ichigo grinned back from his hunched position in a far away tree. "But that's only because you cheat, darling," he said, one moment still in the tree and the next ten feet away.

"What do you want?"

He shrugged and placed his hands in his pockets, "Oh, nothing much. Just his head on a plate. Nice and bloody."

"You stupid fuck!" Ichigo growled as Orihime helped him on his feet. Just as he thought he felt a little better, his vision decided to add polka dots to liven things up and send a new wave of nausea over his trembling body. It was like he relived the first few days after the bastard had sneaked away from him all over again, times ten. No need to say that this was the worse timing ever.

"What's the matter, Ichigo?" he taunted, "Feeling a little bit under the weather?"

"I got you," Orihime whispered softly, practically holding his entire weight on her shoulders. It would seem that merging with your Hollow completely gives you one hell of a strength boost. He swallowed his pride, knowing that his feet, let alone his legs, were unable to support his body; they were shaking like leaves in the wind.

"Fuck—"

A warm glow then began to spread through him and he started, not understanding what happened at first. The nausea all but evaporated and his vertigo stopped suddenly. The muscles in his entire body relaxed and then pumped with renewed strength. He was aware that the warmth flooding him had a source and he looked at Orihime's hand on his chest, glowing golden and steadily over his heart. Like a pulse the glow spread all over him and he took a breath, feeling stronger with every passing moment she held him.

"Now you see why I say you cheat, da-arling?" the Hollow growled, beginning to step closer.

One moment her eyes were fixed lovingly on him and the next Ichigo saw those beautiful brown orbs turn black completely. A dark presence filled the air around them and the pressure suddenly became unbearable. She let go of him and turned to face the Hollow slowly, her hair flailing around her in the whirlwind of raw power she was now encircled in. Ichigo instinctively took a few steps back and covered his face with his arm just enough to see what she was doing. The aura surrounding her was pulsing, sending wave after wave of golden energy rippling through the air.

If Hollow Ichigo's complexion wasn't already grey, it would've been paling drastically as he watched the display of power unfolding in front of him. "W-what?"

With an expression that bordered bored, Orihime tilted her head to the side as if contemplating the most painful way she could kill the insect before her. Her alien black eyes nearly shone when she lifted her right hand and watched how the Hollow got lifted effortlessly a few feet in the air, limbs clearly immobilised.

"What are you doing?!" he screeched, looking at her with frightened eyes, making jerky movements of his head in an attempt to free himself from the invisible hold.

"Ending this," she said and her voice sounded fractured. Both the Hollow within her and Orihime were now present Ichigo realised with awe. He wanted to step forward and stop her, wanted to tell her it was his fight and that was when the Hollow gave a terrified howl that immediately turned his insides to solid ice.

"Ending you."

He looked up to where he was pinned in the air like a butterfly on display and nearly wished he hadn't. He nearly choked on his own breath.

"Y-you can't do this!" the Hollow cried, but his voice sounded drowned and soon he was gurgling helplessly when a black, oily substance fell from his horror struck mouth and splattered on the ground beneath him. The smell of decay hung heavily in the air and for a moment it looked like his face was melting, his amber eyes stuck in a terror-filled stare, and then he begins to fall apart, chunks of his face falling off like puzzle pieces, disappearing in the growing dark puddle on the ground. "You need me..." his distorted voice sounds a last time, his eyes now staring at Ichigo, and then he dissolves completely, leaving nothing but a sickening black mess.

Another flood of energy flowed passed Ichigo and Orihime lifted the black liquid that used to be the Hollow with a twist of her hand, transforming it into something that looked like a miniature, black thunder cloud.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo's attention snapped back to her immediately and he couldn't help the way his heart beat frantically in his chest. He still couldn't believe what just happened. When did Orihime become so frighteningly powerful?

"This essence was born from you," Orihime says, her voice still sounding as if two persons were talking at the same time. "Its power needs a vessel. Shall I return it to you?"

Ichigo blinks, barely grasping what is being asked of him, the waves of energy threatening to close off his windpipe as his stomach turned over with the nauseating stench that still lingered. "That power is the reason for the mess we're in right now." He couldn't even imagine taking that vile, stinking cloud in him.

Orihime tilts her head to the side again, her eyes still the same charcoal black, "Power is neither good nor evil, and its core is pure and raw energy. I have stripped the essence of the Hollow from it; its evil cannot reach you again."

"What about Orihime?" he asks, taking a cautious step closer, "If you were able to strip the Hollow from its power—"

"It is too late for us, we have merged too perfectly with each other; to separate would kill us both," she said, the aura surrounding her features glowing softer for a moment. "If you merge with this new power you shall become stronger, Kurosaki Ichigo, your enemies won't be able to rival you. We sense this potential in you."

The creature – he can't find another word for it, because there's no way in hell that that's his Orihime– gives him that strange look again, and he feels a shudder go through him and he wonders briefly if it can somehow see through him. See the hunger for power that he cradles, the insatiable need he has for more strength to protect his loved ones? He wonders if it sees the state his heart is in, how much it aches with all the loses he's undergone over the years and the pain it has hidden from others. Does it see how battered it is? Can it smell the desperation and the fear that surrounds it?

It said that the Hollow essence was born from him and he gets that, the darkness in his heart gave birth to it. But what if it returns after he has been given the power? Who's to tell things won't go haywire and make him lose control again? Who would be the victims then? His sisters? His dad? He couldn't take that risk, he wouldn't. It was unbearable to think about becoming the murderous monster he fought so hard to keep inside. It is universally known that power corrupts and even if he's been endowed with supernatural abilities, at the core of it all he's still only human. He would only be able to resist so long before it would take over. Again.

_No._

"No," he whispers, softly shaking his head. He wants the power, but he can't risk becoming one of the things he's been fighting for years.

"It is your destiny to wield it," It says, expression as flaccid as it was before. "More powerful enemies will rise after the fall of Aizen. You will not be able to defend Mamoru if you don't have the power."

"Mamoru?"

"Your son."

_Oh._

It can see the future now too?

He looks at the black cloud still floating a couple of feet in the air next to her and sighs.

_To protect._

What a fitting name for his son...

He promised Orihime he would protect their son. He had to admit that it was right about the enemies. More would come and they would probably be stronger than anything they ever faced before. But what if—

"The love you'll have for your son will keep you sane and your heart will not get corrupted."

"How do you know this for sure?"

"We exist beyond space and time," it said and that's when Ichigo realised that this was Orihime's unrefined power he was talking to. "We negated the flow of time for an infinite moment and looked into what is still to come," it explained.

Ichigo blinked, flabbergasted by the calm tone in which it said it, like it was the most normal thing in the entire world to do. It can do it, why can't you? "So if you can see into the future can you see if... err..."

It smiled an amused smirk that looked too strange with her black eyes, but somehow eased her features a little bit. "You will live a long, fulfilled life, Kurosaki Ichigo." Although she said it with a smile, it was clear that the topic was now closed.

Ichigo gulped, still uncertain. What if it was lying? What told him that he could trust it?

"Shall we return your power?"

_God_, he didn't really have a choice anymore, did he? If he didn't take it back, his son would have no future and he would've broken his promise to Orihime because he didn't take the only chance he had at preventing it from happening.

But who said this was his only chance anyway?

He shook his head; he needed it _now_. He needed it, so he could fight beside Orihime against Aizen. Ichigo wouldn't fool himself or anyone else any longer; he knew he was no match for Aizen and he could use all the help he could get.

Orihime could use all the help he could give her.

Ichigo looked at it and nodded.

That's when it all went black.

* * *

Thank you for the patience and the supportive messages that helped me post this (finally!). Please look forward to the next chapter!

Write on!

_**Upcoming chapter: 14. Unravelling Chaos – Meet me at the end of things**_

To be continued…

_**-BDP-**_


	14. Meet me at the end of things

14. Unraveling Chaos – Meet me at the end of things.

* * *

Ichigo gasped awake.

_What?_

"What?" He whispered into the confounding darkness. He couldn't breathe, there was something pressing onto his chest, but he couldn't see or feel what it was; trying to raise his arms was futile, they felt like lead. He let out a yell as he tried again with more force only to realize that his entire body was in a similar state of inertia.

He gulped, still trying to take a breath while suppressing the panic bubbling up in his throat.

_I need to find a point of reference to focus on… there must be some light around here._

"I need to find a point of reference to focus on… there must be some light around here."

_Over there._

He looked to his right.

"Over there."

_What is that?_

A gust of wind suddenly blew past him and he swallowed the air in greedily. The weight on his chest was lifted and he could move his body again. The darkness, however, stayed, even though less thick than before. He could see a shiny red light from where the wind was blowing and he stood, moving towards it. He felt like every bone in his body had been broken and then set back one agonizing bone at a time.

Red ribbons flew towards him then, wrapping themselves around him and strapped themselves on every inch of his body, covering every inch of skin until he was completely hidden under them.

A scream echoed around him and the cocoon began to burst, every crackle oozing light. It exploded completely a second later.

His lungs felt like they were on fire and he gasped for air again, his entire body vibrating with power unlike any he'd ever felt coursing through him before. It didn't hurt exactly, but it felt like something was trying to nestle itself inside of him while being too big to do so.

"It'll settle soon."

He looked up and up and up… dizziness taking him over as he did.

"You'll only have little time to get used to it."

Ichigo groaned and began to stand, his legs feeling like jelly. "Everything is moving so slow… my head…"

Her hands cradled his head and she helped him up. "You're body is moving too fast for your brain to follow. It'll adjust soon and you'll feel better."

He raised his face to meet hers and he smiled weakly when he saw that her eyes had regained their warm honey brown color. It felt like ages since he'd seen them. "Where are we?"

She smiled at him and then looked over his shoulder. "There's someone who'd like to meet you."

"Someone…?"

The darkness shattered and he now stood in a peaceful looking meadow. The grass around him was tall and waving gently in the soft wind. Glistening lights flew up from it, floating around the both of them and up towards the bluish purple sky with the pale full moon.

"Dad."

Detaching his eyes from one of the lights he'd been following, he found himself face to face with a young man he did not recognize and yet looked so achingly familiar.

From his messy mop of brown hair to his soft caramel eyes and angular face, the man standing in front of him screamed for a conclusion he knew he wasn't ready to make.

"Mamoru…?"

He smiled and he swore he saw his little sister in that smile, the same one Yuzu always wore whenever she greeted him with breakfast.

"You look well, dad."

Ichigo couldn't wrap his head around the fact that this man, this person standing right there was his son… his and Orihime's—

"How?" he blurted, turning towards her.

Orihime smiled and reached out to her son, who took both her hands in his. "You know how."

Ichigo only blinked and watched her pressing her lips against his forehead in a tender motherly manner.

"He's from the future," he concluded and it suddenly all became clear.

Mamoru let go of her and walked over to his father again, a small smirk adorning his features. One that reminded him very much of his own in so many ways.

"You will win this, dad. I'm the living proof of that," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll make sure I grow into what I am now."

"Somehow that sentence confused me even more," he whispered with a smile, feeling his chest swell with sudden pride.

Mamoru chuckled and Ichigo saw his father now, right after he pulls one of his pranks, guffawing like an idiot. He smirked back and scratched the back of his head; feeling embarrassed now that he saw how much his own son resembled him and the rest of his family.

After all.

He had her eyes though, the same beautiful complexity and vibrancy that had made them so special to him before.

"Don't worry, you will come to see it with your own eyes," he assured him, adding a wink to that statement. They grinned at each other with that and Ichigo placed a palm against his son's cheek.

There couldn't have been more than a year of two that set them apart in age and yet he could completely imagine how that weight of being a father would feel already.

Perhaps he was more ready than he thought.

A stronger wind blew through the meadow, making the grass sprites dance wildly in its wake. Orihime was looking up at the sky, her hair flying all around her, her white and golden kimono moving with the shifting air.

As they both looked at her, she turned her head to look at them.

Her eyes were back to being full-black.

"He's here," was all she said.

* * *

A loud crashing sound vibrated throughout the entire house.

"They're trying to come through the roof!"

Before Rukia could grasp what was going on, she was whisked away by a pair of strong arms, carrying her through the nightly air.

"Urahara?"

"Sorry, miss Kuchiki, for taking you away like this, but we had to get out of there and fast."

Rukia looked back behind her just in time to watch the small shop explode in a sea of flames.

"The others?" she whispered, afraid to ask.

Urahara was silent for a while. There was no other sound than the whistling of the wind in their ears. "I don't know, but I wouldn't worry too much."

They landed on an empty street and Urahara placed her on the ground against the wall of a small shop. "Miss Kuchiki—"

"Please, just go…" she interrupted him, holding on to her stomach, trying to produce a convincing smile, but failing.

"Here, swallow this," Urahara said, giving her a small white pill. "It'll numb the pain and stop the bleeding."

"For how long?" She asked, the sweat dripping down the side of her face. The closed expression on her face gave her her answer and she smirked, nodding. "I understand."

"Now, I'm not going to leave you here on your own. Rangiku, Shuhei and Ikkaku are here also and I believe you know the family who runs the nearby clinic."

"Clinic?"

She looked around herself and only then recognized the street. "The Kurosaki clinic…"

"Isshin is a friend," Urahara stated. "I will see if he's still around, I don't want to alert his daughters."

Rukia watched him go around the corner and slumped down further against the wall. She lifted her hand up to look at her palm and wasn't surprised to see it drenched in blood. "Not good…" she whispered to herself before she lost consciousness.

* * *

She was standing next to him, her white and gold kimono flowing around her as if she was floating in water.

He blinked again and began to sit up. The clearing around them was completely abandoned and he realized that the only source of light was coming from her.

"We need to get going, Ichigo."

Her voice still sounded like a mash up of voices again and he hated it, knowing that the being standing in front of him wasn't his Orihime anymore.

"Ichigo."

He stood up; noticing how his movements felt more fluid and none of his previously hurting joints gave a twitch. He could feel his new power flowing through him, pulsing through his veins. It didn't feel heavy and oppressing like the way the Hollow essence felt in the very beginning, but soothing and warm, more a part of him than ever before.

She reached out a hand to him and when he looked up he saw her smiling at him, her eyes back to being golden brown. "I need you with me," she whispered, "Let's do this together, Ichigo."

He approached her and forced himself to smile, taking her hand. "Yeah."

"Grimmjow is leading the frontal assault on Las Noches," she said, closing her fingers around his hand and closing her eyes. "Nell is leading the rear with Renji."

"Where are we going?" Ichigo wondered, watching how the light she bathed in passed over to him, going up his arm and covering his entire body.

"We're going straight to the throne room, where he's waiting."

* * *

Her eyes blinked open and she coughed, spitting out the mixture of grit and mud from her mouth. She pushed away the debris of wood that lay on her back, groaning in pain when she moved herself on her knees to look around herself.

There was nothing left of the shop or the house; everything lay in burning ashes and the delivery car's alarm was sounding loudly in the silent night.

"Shinji?" She called, getting on her trembling feet and stumbling over more wood and broken concrete. Her lungs felt like they were on fire and she coughed again. "Hacchi! Rose?"

There was no answer whatsoever and she looked around again in the hopes of finding her companions lying around somewhere. "Kensei! Lisa! Love?"

She heard a grunt coming from somewhere behind her and she turned, finding Rose trying to deliver himself from the thick wooden beam lying on top of him.

"Rose!"

She began to make her way over to him, but tripped and fell over an unseen obstacle, landing on her knees in the dust again. Biting back the pain that shot up her legs, she turned to look at what it was that made her fall and gasped in horror when she saw that it was a hand buried under rocks of concrete and piles of wood.

She recognized those fingers instantly.

"Lisa!" she cried, crawling over to it on trembling arms. "Lisa! Lisa?"

"Hiyori."

She looked behind her and saw Love standing behind him, supporting a wounded Rose by his side. "Love!" she said pleadingly.

He helped his friend to sit on the ground against a broken board and proceeded to remove the debris covering Lisa's arm and body. "Shinji is up there, fighting them," Love said, lifting a heavy block of concrete and throwing it to the side. "Hacchi is with him."

"Good to see you're not hurt too badly," Rose whispered through gritted teeth, holding on to his side with a hand.

Hiyori shook her head, forlorn. "Are you kidding me? Worry about yourself, you look like shit!" she whispered in a small, trembling voice. "Have you seen Mashiro? Or Kensei?"

Rose took a shaky breath and shook his head.

"No," Love answered with a shake of his head, still working on freeing their comrade and then halting a heartbeat later. "Oh god no…"

Hiyori moved closer to see what he'd found, but had to bite her lip from trembling at what she saw. "Lisa?" she tried, watching Love lift her unmoving, broken body out of the rubble. She then turned to Love hopefully, "Love…?"

He looked at the dark haired woman in his arms investigatingly for a moment and then closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"Wait, wh-what—"

Mashiro then rounded the corner into the courtyard of the shop, helping a bleeding Kensei walk. "Rose! Hiyori! Love!"

"We got blown away a few blocks," Kensei said, limping towards them with Mashiro's help before they both stopped in their tracks when Love stood up, Lisa resting lifelessly in his arms.

"No…" Mashiro whispered, slapping a hand in front of her mouth.

Rose closed his eyes, sighing sadly and gritting his teeth.

"Lisa…" Kensei whispered, unbelieving.

Hiyori whimpered her friend's name, her shoulders trembling as she slumped onto the floor. She closed her eyes in disbelief and then screamed.

* * *

"LISA!"

Both Shinji and Hacchi stopped dead in their movements and looked in the direction the scream came from.

"It can't be!" Hacchi whispered, eyes spread open wide in shock.

Shinji gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. "When you fuck with one of us, you're messing with all of us…" he murmured between his teeth, eying each one of the dark figures standing a distance away from him. "And you will rue the day you thought you could get away with it."

Hacchi moved himself away until he was at a safe distance, knowing what was coming next.

"Fall, Sakanade."

* * *

They appeared in the quiet, dark hall in a flash of golden light.

The entire building was trembling on its foundations with all the fighting going on behind its walls. The throne room had been rebuilt quite well; it was almost as if the last one never got destroyed at all. It only further proved the fact that Aizen stubbornly believed himself to be unique and irreplaceable in this place; an egocentric God with no equal in the entire universe.

"_I welcome you to Las Noches again, Kurosaki Ichigo."_

They watched as a figure cloaked in white appeared from behind the empty throne, sitting down on the alabaster structure without ever showing a glimpse of the face beneath the draped fabric.

"There isn't much left of it, is there?" Ichigo replied with a smirk, taking a step forwards.

"Your reign ends here, Aizen," Orihime said softly, holding out her left arm to hold Ichigo back.

"I almost didn't recognize you, dear Orihime," Aizen said, moving his head her way. "You seem… different. Dare I say; free of a certain burden."

"Give it up."

He smirked. "Not before I get what I've been striving for all these centuries."

"What? Becoming a God?" Ichigo interjected disdainfully.

Aizen ignored him. "I realize that perhaps I should've done this the moment you sealed the Hougyokou within yourself, but I guess I managed to throw Soul Society off my original goal just fine with the way things went."

They watched him stand up and a set of stairs appeared out of nowhere. He descended the stairs slowly and calmly. "I assume you know what I'm talking about."

"I do," she whispered.

Ichigo turned to her, alarmed. "Orihime…?"

She didn't reply and walked towards the stairs. He prepared to follow suit, but couldn't move a muscle.

_This won't take long. I'm sorry. I'll release you when my part in this will be over, I'll need you to finish it then._

Ichigo fought against the invisible bonds restraining him, refusing his forced upon role vehemently. "No! No, don't do this! Orihime, you don't have to do this!"

Aizen smirked again and the white cloak began the slide away from his face and off his body the further down he got. "Are you saving me the trouble of ruining that loveable appearance of yours?"

Orihime reached the stairs and began to mount them; ignoring Ichigo's pleads and shouts behind her. "There is no need to draw this out any longer by waiting for you to reach me."

The cloak fell off completely from Aizen's body and the face that looked down upon them was grotesque. Where there once was a beautifully groomed brown hair was now burnt skin and orange/ purple scar tissue, the appealing features of his appearance now distorted and monstrous, his eyes turned black as bile. He wore a variation of his former white outfit: the turtleneck shirt and the gloved jacket added to hide the scars on his throat and hands.

His deformed lips curled into a sickening smile then and, reaching for his Zanpakuto, he said; "You truly were a shining beacon of light, Orihime. For all of us."

She stopped in her ascent and kept her calm gaze on him. "I take pride in knowing my life brought happiness to my family and friends. I couldn't care less of what you thought of me, Aizen."

Aizen grinned softly and pulled his sword out of its sheath slowly. "So be it."

One moment they were standing there and the next they disappeared from Ichigo's sight.

* * *

"Rukia!"

Rangiku came to stand by the side of her bed the moment they rolled her inside the small clinic, silent tears running down her beaten face. "That attack we felt earlier—"

Isshin sighed and nodded. "According to Urahara they've destroyed the shop."

"What?" All three Shinigamis exclaimed in shock.

"But then, what about those who were still there?" Shuhei asked, holding on to his broken arm as he sat up from his seat in the waiting hall.

"Urahara went back to check on them…" Isshin whispered with a concerned frown, pulling his sleeves up his arm and preparing to heal Rukia.

"Those bastards took us by surprise earlier tonight," Ikkaku whispered through gritted teeth, taking a shaky breath as he grabbed his stomach in pain. "We got separated from that cat-woman and Captain Hitsugaya so fast it was unreal."

"There was absolutely nothing we could've done," Rangiku added desolately, "Their speed, strength and combat skills vastly surpassed ours."

"This is nothing unlike anything we've ever seen before," Shuhei whispered, "And we're in no position to ask Soul Society for help; all communication is still down."

"Do you think they're alright?" Rangiku asked him.

"They'll be fine," Shuhei replied decidedly, voice hard.

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Where is Ichimaru?" Rangiku then asked softly.

Isshin smiled reassuringly. "That boy had some unfinished business to attend to, I don't think we'll see him before he's done."

For some reason she knew she'd get that answer and something told her that maybe, just maybe, there wouldn't be a happy ending after all.

* * *

"Aw, fuck!"

Toushiro sucked his breath through gritted teeth as he tried to pull out the sword lodged in to his right shoulder, pinning him to a tree. Blood was blurring his vision, but he could make out Yoruichi fighting five shadow figures between the trees of the forest in the distance. Hyourinmaru was lying a few feet away from him in the high grass, having been previously knocked out of his hand by one of those things that ambushed them as they were on their way to Urahara's. He couldn't feel Rangiku's Reiatsu anywhere and both Hisagi and Madarame were nowhere to be seen. Worry was beginning to take over, but he couldn't give in to it, not now, not in this place.

He tried to pull the crooked sword out of his shoulder again, but only managed to make his shoulder hurt even more; he already began to lose the feeling in his right arm.

Yoruichi released her Shunkô somewhere on his far left, illuminating the entire forest with a blinding flash of white light.

It didn't take long however before he heard a deafening blast and had to shield himself with an arm from the massive waves of Reiatsu that pulsed his way. Before he lowered his arm again the sole trace of friendly Power Pressure he'd felt coming from Yoruichi was diminished to a weak treble crushed down by a frightening force.

"Shihouin!" He cried, knowing it to be in vain, but trying anyway, not wanting to let his growing despair get the better of him. "Shihouin…!"

He never noticed the invisible figure sneaking up behind him with a raised sword, turning his head just in time to watch the blade come down.

* * *

The moment his mask disintegrated, blood trickled into his left eye and his burnt arm gave a series of painful twitches.

He watched the corpses regenerate themselves for the umpteenth time, gritting his teeth against the sinking feeling that was taking over his determination.

He'd tried everything and he damn well knew that he wouldn't be able to keep fighting like this indefinitely. The hand that held his sword was shaking from the strain it took to maintain its current form and blood was seeping through the bandages that'd been applied onto the burnt skin.

"Fuck."

On top of all that, his eyesight was beginning to blur as well.

"Shinji…!"

He barely managed to block the attack with his sword, his arm trembling uncontrollably now, his feet sliding backwards in the sky from the force of the blow. His knees buckled but he urged himself to keep standing, jumping out of the way of the next warrior's attack.

He could see them approaching him calmly, as if mocking him, knowing well that he could barely hold his sword anymore. The battle had turned into a morbid tag game and it'd be soon before they'd all be on him.

He rolled his eyes over to his companion a few feet away.

Hacchi was in no shape to fight anymore either.

It looked like it would have to be the only way out after all.

Damn it.

A reckless smirk formed on his lips and he forced himself to stand upright again, holding Sakanade in front of him by the hoop at the base of the handle.

"This'll be the final act, you bastards…" he whispered as Sakanade began to turn on itself faster and faster, drawing a circle around Shinji as it did.

An pearly white aura began to ooze out of the circle the sword had drawn, plunging the immediate surroundings into pitch black darkness and Shinji into a blinding bulb of dark purple/rose light.

"_Fall into Chaos._"

That's when the bulb of light exploded to reveal a transformed Shinji.

One who had completely merged with his Zanpakuto.

* * *

When his eyes opened again, he found himself bathing in light.

It was so warm here; his surroundings felt soothing and welcoming and a pair of hands were caressing his face lovingly.

"_I'm right here, Ichigo,_" she whispered, smiling down on him, hair flowing around her peacefully. "_You've made it._"

She was oozing light again, nearly blinding him.

"Ori…"

"_Draw upon your new found strength, Ichigo. Help me defeat him. Let's do it together._"

He was flying; no soaring. Above clouds? Where was he?

Wait, was that Soul Society down there? There was so much smoke coming from there; it looked like the entire place was on fire!

But how? It all felt so surreal… hadn't he been standing in the throne room a moment ago?

He could hear the clashing of swords and the sound of colliding Spirit Pressures in the distance, the waves of colossal strength dispersing the clouds in all directions.

Two shining figures were fighting ahead, cleaving the fabric of space and time with every blow of their colliding swords, slowly but surely destroying this dimension. They'd clash, exchange blows and then fall apart before rushing back and starting all over again, neither gaining a visible upper hand.

The corporeal avatar that fought as Orihime, was an emotionless copy of her, her black hair flowing around her gracefully as she attacked Aizen in his monstrous Hollow form, her black eyes relentlessly tracking his every move and keeping up with his movements effortlessly while Aizen laughed arrogantly at her attempts to hit him.

"_I can't keep this up for long. Let's end it once and for all, Ichigo._"

Her spiritual hands closed around his and he suddenly held Tensa Zangetsu in both hands, their combined strength flowing into the sword.

"Let's do this," he whispered, concentrating and waiting for an opening.

"_Be ready,_" she whispered in his ear.

Ichigo nodded, watching the fight intensively. Right hook, left kick, somersault kick, counter, sword block, heel drop.

"_There!"_

He rushed forward, body covered in a golden glow, Orihime flying as an ethereal presence beside him and Zangetsu facing forward, catching Aizen's attention just a split second too late, seeing the monster's eyes grow wide a fleeting instant before Zangetsu plunged into his chest.

Ichigo held his eyes with his, even when drops of black blood splattered against his face, sending all the anger and hatred he could muster into his gaze, twisting the sword vindictively, basking in the look of utter surprise he found in Aizen's coal black ones.

Mouth frozen in a soundless scream, Aizen's head fell back and his hands reached for the sword stuck in his chest. Ichigo looked at Zangetsu and could've sworn to have felt a caress of lips against his own before he saw the golden glow he'd been bathing in receding into the sword and into the wound in Aizen's chest.

He immediately felt weakened and knew what had happened before the full realization of it dawned on him. When he was about to let out a scream of horror and loss, Aizen suddenly let out a terrifying howl and Ichigo was blown away from the force of the electrifying Reitsu that suddenly emerged. He watched, completely numbed, how the monstrous body began to shimmer and loose consistence, coiled upon itself, fighting whatever it was that was destroying it from the inside out.

"Orihime… no…"

Cracks appeared on the skin of the Hollow, letting out streaks of light that grew in number; the more the skin crackled and fell apart. Finally, it exploded and Ichigo had just enough time to see the Avatar drop her sword and let herself be engulfed into the light before the explosion reached him and took him out.

* * *

"_Up… wake up, will ya?"_

Ichigo gasped awake. He was lying on grass on the outskirts of a forest. And judging by the density of spirit particles in the air, he guesses he was still in Soul Society. His eyes caught a spectacle of disintegrating colored lights in the sky, right where the explosion took place.

"Orihime…!" he grunted, moving to stand, but finding no strength in his feet to stand.

"Don't bother," the voice said next to him. "You won't be able to move for a while. And even if you did, you won't find her up there. She's gone."

Ichigo turned his face to the side.

His eyes grew wide.

"You!"

A sly smirk formed on the man's futures and he waved his unspoken accusation away. "Yes, me."

"Ichimaru!"

Gin stopped smiling and took on a more serious expression. "Ichigo."

"What are you doing here?"

"Finishing up my mission," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Gin smiled. "She was really one of a kind, that Orihime."

Ichigo closed his eyes and looked away.

"From the moment she knew that there'd be a possibility that Aizen could come back, she thought of all of this. She knew that this day would come."

Ichigo gritted his teeth. "But that still doesn't explain why the fuck you're here!"

"She brought me back so I could help you to the best of my abilities."

"Brought you back…?"

The former captain only gave him a telling look and then looked up at the skies. "I died, you know? The sad thing is that no one knew, I was reported missing during the last battle with Aizen. Only the Commander General and Orihime knew of my death. The day she asked Yamamoto to seal away her memories, she asked for him to keep my death a secret so I could be of use to her when the time would come. She was the key after all."

"Key?"

"To the Soul King's Dimension, of course," Gin said nonchalantly, smiling. "Why do you think Aizen had such an interest in her? Going as far as trying to poison her and make her into a Hollow and stuff... he wanted her badly for the reasons we all know too well."

"And my dad knew?"

"He was the first to know, after Urahara. They both knew what was going on. If they hadn't, we wouldn't have been able to thwart Aizen's plans and Soul Society would be dead. As would your friends who fought and won a few hours ago in Hueco Mundo."

Ichigo sat up slowly.

"She couldn't have predicted that so many of us would fall though…" he continued. "Everything she did, no matter how much it broke her heart, she did it to safeguard a future for both worlds." As he said that, his right arm began to disintegrate. "Oh, I guess time's up."

"You came all the way over here to tell me this?" Ichigo whispered, not looking up. "If my dad and Urahara knew they could've filled me in as well."

"I came because she entrusted me with a message for you as well."

His eyes shot up at that.

"Death is only the beginning. Nothing truly ends." His spiritual body was falling apart faster now, the spirit particles evaporating into thin air.

Ichigo scoffed and lowered his head again, a sad smile on his lips.

"If I could ask you for a favor in turn," Gin said, voice sounding far away now.

Ichigo looked up again.

"Tell Rangiku that I regret nothing and that I've had my happy ending after all."

As he spoke those words, his body fell apart completely leaving no trace of him ever being there. This being more proof that Orihime really had gone. Every lingering trace of her power was vanishing, just as quickly as grief settled into his heart.

* * *

Morning dawned again, cold and rainy.

Rukia opened her eyes to find Renji holding her hand on the bed, himself sleeping on his knees on the floor next to her, drooling onto the sheet near her pillow. She chuckled happily, her tears rolling down her face.

Cold rain pelted down onto the group that sat hunched together around the lifeless body of their comrade, the rising sun offering little comfort to their broken hearts. Urahara took off his hat when he arrived on the scene, examining the fallen Vizard's body a last time before closing his eyes sadly. When he looked up again, he saw that the underground entrance to his lab was still intact. And then he watched Shinji limping over, helped by Hacchi.

Even though a lot was gone, not all was lost.

Cold rain fell on the two figures limping through the trees on their way to the sitting body in the grass. Her brave smirk was hiding the pain of her lost right leg and broken limbs. Isshin let go of Hitsugaya and kneeled next to her to apply some first aide to her battered body.

The cold rain didn't stop falling against the window of her room as she looked through it with tears falling down her face continuously. She knew he was gone again. She couldn't explain it, she could just feel it. When a warm arm came to settle against her shoulder she turned to look at her colleague, her eyes desolate and heart broken with despair. Hisagi didn't say anything, but just held her, even long after she finally stopped crying.

Cold rain was falling outside of her apartment when he walked into her living room through a Senkaimon.

He sat himself down in a corner of the room with Zangetsu resting against his shoulder and closed his eyes, needing to shut out the world and let the rain fall.

* * *

_Ok ok. It's been two years. Two. I know. I'm sorry. I'm ashamed. Especially when I realized that this story was actually almost done and I had a draft for this chapter lying around for over a year… Well, only one chap left and I promise, it won't take that long again for me to update! Thank you for the ongoing support you guys have given me so far!_

**To be continued in _15. Epilogue : Where nothing truly ends_**

_**-BDP-**_


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